The Spawn
by Aqua279
Summary: Max and Fang are dating, living together, and twentyone years old. They have two differant jobs. They live in New York. Iggy and Gazzy are piro techs and Nudge is a CSItor. Angel is a lie detector for the cops. Mild language. Nothing2 do w/ title.
1. Chapter 1

_**The Spawn**_

_**By Izzy Evans **_

Hey guys. Izzy here. Any who. I know that I have at least four other stories going on. I realize this. But Asylum and this one are both pre written so we have no problems there. Input out put and enjoy. Don't kill me!! This is many many years after the fourth book. Seriously don't murder me in my sleep.

"Remind me again why we had to get a cat?"

"Because we had a traumatic child hood filled with extraordinarily large dogs. And it's not right to cage birds!" Max laughed, dancing around her kitchen. Fang sighed loudly and went to change his shirt. AGAIN.

"If you're so worried about your shirt, why don't you wear a different colour?!" She called behind him.

"I don't HAVE any other colors!!" He huffed.

"Then don't pick up Meowy." Max said simply, shrugging her thin shoulders. Fang came out, wearing black again. Max's orange and white cat purred. Fang glared at him.

"You gave your cat the weirdest name." Fang remarked.

"Meowy mic-yow-pants is….a little weird." She smiled. "And he's your cat too." Fang started to argue that she'd wanted it and that he said that they didn't need a cat, but Max was pouting.

"Our cat," he sighed. She smiled brightly.

"Are you going to be gone ALL DAY?" Max asked.

"I get off at seven. I hope. Don't you have anything to do today?" He asked. Fang wished he could take back the question right when he finished. Her eyes flashed.

"Well…I could hang out with Iggy and Gazzy at work today…" She shrugged, going to change.

"No! Isn't there anything ELSE for you to do?" He begged.

"Do you really think my brothers are going to let me get hurt? Besides, I lived with them for ten years! I can deal with a few hours!" She giggled.

"That's not what I'm worried about." He grumbled. He just didn't want her hanging around with all those guys that Iggy and Gazzy worked with. Yes, Gazzy had a job as a pyro-technician at the age of fifteen. Angel worked with the police. She's their human lie detector. Top secret, though. Nudges an investigator for CSI's and she's good at it. What with her powers? Fang was a lot of different things in one. Some days he's a spy, others an assassin, and still others a bomb-dewirer person thingy. And he wanted so badly to take Max to work with him, but he didn't want her getting hurt. Fang gets shot at a LOT at work. He didn't tell Max where he worked. She thought he was a police officer (a good excuse to come home with bullet holes). He was making a ton of money, so she didn't even have to work. She seemed to hate this. But some how, while he's at work, she managed to find something to do all day. When he came home, none of th games, TV's, computers, or radios had been touched.

XXX XXX XXX

"What do you do all day?" Fang asked as they flew over the city.

"I just…walk around." Max shrugged. Fang saw her eyes: She was hiding something. He gulped down his panicky thoughts, trying to smooth his expression.

"You walk around? Where do you go?" He asked casually. Or so he thought. Max flew over him, so close that he could feel her wings touch his on every down stroke.

"What are you so worried about? It's not like I'm doing anything shady!" She laughed. Even though he was assured, he still wanted to know. Curiosity killed the annoying bird man boy friend.

"Well, where do you go?" he huffed. Her hand was suddenly rubbing the back of his neck.

'No where. I just go window shopping! I can't believe that out of the whole flock, I'm the only one without a job!" She spiraled away, playing while she could.

Max sighed. That was too close. He'd almost got her. He was so uptight about her not having a job. Of course, she did, but he didn't have to know that. She didn't completely LIKE her job, but it's the only thing Fang wouldn't see. She…models …for…a fashion magazine and it agonizes her everyday. It hurt her pride to admit it to herself.

"What's wrong?" Fang asked. Max 'felt' her face with her mind and realized the expression she wore was one of a sour pout. Her lips were pursed and her eyes were narrowed. She smoothed her expression before answering.

"Nothing, just thinking about all the gun powder I'll have to smell today." A very little part of today. She added in thought. Fang nodded,

"You sure you don't want to change? I mean, I've still got an hour!" He said. Max sighed. Compared to some of the other outfits she'd be wearing today, this was church worthy. She was wearing a tight, thin red top over shorts that came to just the tops of her thighs; she's wearing simple sneakers. Her hair almost made it to her elbows when she wore it down like she was today. "Positive!" She gave him a winning smile. Her favorite part of smiling was the reaction she got from Fang. His whole face relaxed and he seem to brighten a bit.

"Fine." He grumbled. He always…worried that she'd find someone she wanted more.

"Silly boy," she muttered, shaking her head. Though Fang was defiantly no boy: he's twenty one, toned, and very grown up.

Fang sighed. This was the part of the day he didn't like. Leaving Max. Iggy was still sleeping when they got to the apartment that he shared with Gazzy and Tally.

"You sure you're going to call me at 3 o'clock?" Fang asked, hands on Max's shoulders.

"I swear, you are the most insecure man I've ever met!" She said, leaning up casually and kissing his lips. He sighed, wrapping his arms around her waist. He could feel her smile against his lips, pulling back. Fang let out a whine and leaned down, kissing her again. A small cough caused him to pull back abruptly. Gazzy was fifteen and turning into a young Iggy. His hair was a shad lighter than Iggy's and he looked a lot more relaxed than Iggy ever did at fifteen. He still looked innocently happy though. He made a face, then gave Max a hug. "You're coming to work with us today, Max?" He grinned, not letting go of her. It was Gazzy's way of showing affection. Fang had to remind himself that the Gasman was her adopted brother.

"Yup, where's Ig?" She asked, letting Gazzy lead her in. Fang followed silently.

"Hey, Fang? You gonna leave her with all these guys all day?" Gazzy joked, winking at him.

"I trusted you guys to watch her." Fang said, keeping his tone light and airy. Gazzy laughed at the glare Max threw Fang.

"I don't need a baby-sitter, Fang! I'm twenty-one years old!!" She snapped, putting her hands on her hips.

"Well, Maximum Ride, you never know." He grinned. She smiled back at him, turning around and heading towards Iggy's room. Fang grinned wider under his still long hair. He opened the door and slowly went in. Ig let out a loud snort: either Fang or Max jumped on him every time they came over. Max let out a battle cry and made a flying- no pun intended -leap towards the bed. Iggy yelped, thrashing around.

"Wha-?!" Iggy yelled, not quite catching on. His elbow connected with Max's mouth. Fang winced, clearing his throat. "Iggy, calm down, it's Max." He called in a soothing tone he used to calm newbie's with their first wound. Iggy stopped thrashing and shook out his wings.

"I knew that. I was just checking." He grinned. Max touched her bleeding lip, muttering something about Pierre being pissed.

"Who?" Fang couldn't hide the jealousy in his voice. Max looked at Gazzy helplessly.

"Our boss. He doesn't like for people to have open wounds around the gun powder." he didn't seem to be lying.

"What happened again?" Iggy asked. Max sighed. "I ran into your elbow. I'll live." Fang left Max with Iggy and Gazzy at around seven oh eight. She turned to them and smiled big.

"I have until nine. Then I've got to go to work." She threw her arms around Iggy and hugged him tight. "It's been three weeks! I missed you guys! And your cooking!" She added. Iggy laughed and headed towards the kitchen. Gazzy was bouncing up and down excitedly.

"Guess what?" He said, glancing towards the living room.

"What?"

"We got a new killing game to try out!" They squealed and raced for first player. Max beat him, using her wings and longer legs.

"What kind of mans name is PIERRE?" Gazzy teased.

"Look who's talkin' Gasman." She shot, slamming her fingers down hard on the buttons of the controller. He grimaced, pulling the right trigger to shoot. "Ahah! I found tha bomb-" He was cut off as the 'bomb' exploded, killing his character.

"Actually, I found Bomb. You, you found MY bomb." Max got up and did a victory dance.

"Breakfast!" Iggy yelled. Tally's lime streaked hair flew past everyone and to the table.

"Hungry Tally?" Max laughed. Tally nodded, already shoving eggs down her throat. She froze suddenly, her head slowly turning towards Max. "Mhhx!!" She yelled around her mouthful of eggs and bread. Max waited, bracing herself for either a hug or a punch to the shoulder. Unfortunately, she got the later.

"Why'd you leave for so long?!" Tally snapped. Max mentally counted to ten. Hadn't she told everyone that she was going to see her mother for a little while? "I told you, I was going to seem my mother." She said with an exasperated expression.

"Oh yeah! Pierre isn't going to like that split lip. Are you fighting again?" Tally asked in a disapproving tone.

"I'm sorry, Mommy… I swear I'll never street fight again." Max said, batting her eyelashes. "Just kidding. Iggy accidentally elbowed me." She smirked, waving her hand around. Iggy and Gasman were already eating. "Let's hurry and eat before the guys eat it ALL!" Tally yelled, grabbing her plate.

XXX XXX XXX

Fang watched his apprentice talk carefully to their target. He was the supposed leader of a murderous mob. Their group did a terrible job at cleaning up after themselves, too. They never checked for hidden cameras or for people watching. A woman had seen this man murder their latest victim- an old man, who looked to be a rich widow. Guy thingy. Whatever. Hunter wasn't doing a very good job- he looked nervous and sounded like a cop. Fang sighed and relaxed his shoulders, walking up behind the nineteen year old. "I can take it from here Will." Fang smiled tightly, turning towards the cashier. "Please excuse him. My brother gets nervous talking to strangers. I would like a black coffee and a coffee with two creams and three sugars." Fang spoke lightly, as if he actually drank coffee. The man smiled and rang him up.

"Sure thing. That'll be eight forty please." Fang suppressed a sigh as he reached into his pocket and handed the man a ten. He got his change and waited, signaling Hunter to clear the place out. He nodded ever so slightly and flashed his badge to some towns folk, making them shiver and leave.

Once everyone was cleared out very subtly, Fang stood up swiftly, hand on his gun. "Put your hands up, Owen." He said ever so softly. The cashier- Ryan Owen -looked confused.

"What? Why?" Hunter was right behind him, flashing his badge again. "We're going to take you by force, if we have to." He said. Fang rolled his eyes, but stayed tense and focused.

"Why are you going to take me?" Ryan asked. Either he was a great actor, or he was genuinely confused and didn't know why he would be getting arrested.

"For killing-"

"Will!" Fang snapped. The code name was for his safety, but the kid was a menace. "Do you know this woman?" He asked, showing a picture of their so called witness.

"Yes, that's my sisters neighbor. Bitch hates me." Ryan grunted. Fang sighed.

"Do you think she does anything illegal?" Hunter asked, all too straight forward.

"I heard once that she was in a mob but I don't- Kayla! How…NICE to see you." Ryan said through gritted teeth. Fang cocked his head slightly and saw their witness, pointing a gun at his back. His wings twitched. He wondered if he should open them. 'That'd sure throw her off.' he thought, cracking a small smirk. Of course, it'd hurt like hell if she shot one of is wings. Hunter began to fidget nervously.

"Officer, you seem to have failed to get your man. Pity, I thought you were kinda cute, too." She cocked the gun.

'I'm sure I have my…man right now. But just to rain on your parade, I'm taken." Fang said, turning fully around, putting his hands up. Hunter did the same. "Turn around." Ryan's voice shocked him. He sounded scared. So Fang turned around quickly, ducking his head. BANG! Searing pain erupted in his right wing. Growling, he turned around and knocked the gun from Kayla's hand. She was quick, too, though and she grabbed Hunters gun. 'Too slow.' Fang thought. The butt of his gun smacked into the back of her head. She crumpled to the ground and he pulled out his cell phone, wincing as the movement caused pain in his wing. Hunters body hit the ground with a low thud, his head making a sickening slap. "Yo, boss, we got her." Fang said, hanging up quickly and cuffing Kayla's limp hands. "Ryan, call someone to pick you up. This is about to become one crowded mother." Fang said, his voice calm and soft despite his bleeding bullet wound.

His shirt was soaked by the time the ambulance got there. They dragged him out, promising to fix his back.

"No, I'll…go to the hospital myself. I'm fine, really." Fang said, putting his hands up.

"You're going to have to come with us, kid. I'm not go-"

"Let him be. We called his closest…'family'. She'll be here in a second." A silver car pulled up on cue and Max jumped out, looking confused.

"F-Nick?! What happened? What's all over your shirt?" She demanded, her face full of worry. When she reached him, she ran her hand over his shirt, bringing it to her face. It was tinted dark red. "Fang?" She whispered, tears in her eyes.

"Let's go home." He murmured, kissing her cheek. Max led the way to the car, opening his door. "I'm supposed to open the door for you." Fang heaved a laugh, trying not to wince for Max's sake.

As she drove, Max tried to concentrate on breathing and NOT crashing into a ditch. Fang was bleeding and it looked like he was in a lot of pain. 'Why isn't he in uniform?' She thought. If he was a police officer, he should have been in uniform, right?

"Max?! Max!" Fang yelled. Max blinked and let out a small yelp. She was in the wrong lane, heading straight for a Ford. She swerved sharply to the right then slightly to the left to avoid going off the road.

"Are you alright??" She asked looking at Fang in the rearview mirror just in time for her to catch the terrible grimace on his face.

"I'm fine, Max, just…it's just a small…" he trailed off. If it was more than a clipped wing or shoulder, than it wasn't small. She'd seen and had small on herself and on Fang. If the bullet had lodged itself in his skin, then it wasn't small.

"Don't start with me Fang. This is the second time you've been hurt badly. But the first time, they didn't need to call me." Max snapped, her eyes fixed on the road.

When they got home Max forced Fang down on the couch and told him to take his shirt off. She grabbed the phone and first aid kit. She dialed her mothers number.

"Hello?" Ella's voice surprised Max.

"Ella, get mom quickly. This is an emergency." Max snapped, then exhaled. Fang was sitting shirtless on the couch, blood dripping from his dark wings. Meowy licked it, then backed away, fur bristled. He hissed slightly. Fang laughed and pet his head.

"Max?" Dr. Martinez sounded breathless. "What's the emergency?''

"Fang got shot in the wing. I need some guidance on how to fix him." Max opened the med kit her mother left here in case of an emergency.

"Okay, first you need to clean the wound." She said, trying to tone down the worry.

XXX, XXX. XXX

When she completely finished, Max took her time putting everything away. She was afraid to ask why he wasn't in uniform like he said he usually was.

"Max?" Fang asked, voice wary.

"Fang?" She asked, her tone sounding hurt. Fang caught up to her, pulling her into a hug; she pulled away, fearful. "Get ready to explain…I'm going to call a pizza place." She sighed, wiping tears from her eyes. She heard a sigh from behind her. 'Great,' she thought, 'he's guilty.'

Fang fidgeted, not wanting to look Max in the eyes as they ate together. She was angry, but she didn't know why, he could see that. Her face was hurt, angry, and confused, her eyes bright with her thoughts. Tears leaked down her cheeks.

"Max…" he started, not quite sure what to say. Max looked up, but only for a second before she glanced away again. He took a deep breath, readying himself to tell her.

"What were you doing today?" She asked. Truth was best when interrogated by Max.

"Working."

"I…don't see how." She muttered, finally meeting his gaze. Fang wished she wouldn't have. Her eyes were sad and turning red around the edges.

"…Why not?" He asked evasively. She was pissed off abruptly.

"Supposedly, you're a police officer. Uniform?" She snapped, gesturing towards him. Fang took a deep breath. "Some jobs that we have, we can't wear our uniforms. It would give us away. Undercover." He said confidently. Max's face brightened quickly and very suddenly. She jumped towards him. She knocked him to the ground, laying on top of him.

"You wouldn't lie to me, would you?" She asked , pressing her lips to the corner of his mouth.

"Max, why would I lie to you?" Fang asked, kissing the top of her head. '_To keep you safe_.' He thought guiltily.

"I don't know. I'm sorry. I was just a little freaked out and worried about you." Max mumbled, curling up to his side.

"Well, it's alright. Now, why are you wearing high heels?" He asked, mystified. He was sure she left in sneakers. Her face turned bright red.

"Oh…uh…that. Funny story. I was uh…hmmm…that's hard to explain." Fang raised an eyebrow at her.

"What were YOU doing all day? And be truthful," he said, sitting up. Max followed, sitting on her knees in front of him.

"Well…when I got a call from…your… boss…I was…working." Fang felt his breath catch in his throat. "What kind of job would that be?" He whispered, eyes closed.

"Fine, Fang! You got me!! I'm a …. model. My boss, Pierre, takes pictures of me and puts them in fashion mag…magazines." Fangs breath left him with a whoosh and, first, he felt relief, then anger.

"Why?" He asked, unable to come up with anything appropriate.

"I don't know. I felt…insignificant. I was the only one of the flock who didn't work. Do you know how that feels?" She whined, throwing her hands in the air.

"Yes, I do." Fang said very quietly. "Because when you were leader, I couldn't help you. I felt so insignificant, but you never let me help you." He said, eyes closed tightly and fists clenched.

"Well, when we were fourteen you took matters into your own hands, if you remember." Fang could hear her voice crack and knew she was about to cry. Damn.

"Well, remember when we were sixteen and you punched me for no reason?" He said, trying to make her laugh.

"Yeah, because you told me that Iggy and Gazzy blew up a car." She said, her voice cheering up.

"They did!" Fang laughed, opening his eyes and pulling her towards him again.

"No, Fang, that was you, creating the scene," she said. Laying her head on his chest, Max sighed.

"What are you talking about?" Fang demanded. Max pulled back a little from him.

'Are you telling me you didn't know?! How do you think we got away from so MANY Flyboys and super-freaks and whatever? Did you really think we actually got away by running?" Max's' face was filled with amused shock. Fang shook his head.

"I figured they were just too stupid to follow." He grinned.

"Are you serious?" Her eyes were wide: he could tell she was being completely hones, but he had no _clue_ what she was talking about.

"Yeah."

"Fang, you created scenes to help us get away. When you thought you weren't helping, you were doing a lot! If I would have let you, you would've made a great leader for the flock." Max admitted with a sad sigh.

"No, that's not true. You knew how to lead. A leader needs to get food every day, for everyone, chase away the little kids' night mares…whatever. All I did was, apparently, help us escape." Fang replied, pressing his lips to Max's. A question popped into his head at this moment, while kissing her. Why were they still boyfriend and girlfriend? Why had he never asked her to marry him? '_Because I'm scared of the answer?_' Fang thought, his hands sliding up and down her back. Her cold hands took off his new shirt, and he slid hers off. Max pulled away, breathing heavily.

"Fang? Abstinence, key." She muttered, eyes closed.

"Right, key, got it." They'd had a very, strangely mellow talk about marriage when they were seventeen before they were together. She'd told him that she completely supported abstinence and that if he laughed, she'd pop him a good one in the mouth.

Of course, he'd promised never to laugh at that, it wasn't something to laugh about. But…sometimes they almost go too far. Max stood up and turned on the TV.

"Fang, what are you going to do tomorrow? On your day off?" She asked, curling up to him on the couch as she pulled her shirt on.

"I've got to go into work early, just for about an hour or two, but then I'm all yours."

"M'kay. Hey look! Extinction is on!" She exclaimed, turning to the just beginning of the gory movie.

"Max, this movie is so old." Fang moaned.

"It…is, but what do YOU want to watch, then?"

"Blade, Underworld? OUR movie?" He sighed, playing with her hair.

"Those movies are old too. And I can safely say that Just Like Heaven is not our movie. But it's good to know you're in touch with your feminine side. Just don't get too close.

**Next Day.**

The next day Max woke up feeling content and well rested. The fluffy downs blanket she'd slept with was, of course, tangled around her. She got out of bed, seeing a note tacked to the door. "Good morning!" It said at the top.

'_Max, I'll be home soon, M'kay? Don't worry, I'll be careful. Do you want to eat on the patio tonight? Or would you prefer to go out tonight? What ever you want. I love you._

_Love, Fang.'_

Max made a 'hmm' sound and picked up her cat. He purred while she walked towards the game room. (they have a four bedroom house, plus a bonus room upstairs.) She gasped when she saw the roses sitting on the dining room table.

"Fang, what did you do?" She asked aloud, wondering why Fang was acting so weird.

"Max, open the door!" Nudges voice sounded from the door like an alarm, making her drop the cat.

"Sorry, baby. The door is open!" Max called, running towards the front door. Nudge stood in her doorway, eighteen years old and model worthy.

"I can't believe you didn't call me! I mean, hello! Sister here!" She rambled, leading Max towards the living room.

"Sorry! There's been so much drama since I got home!" Max rolled her eyes.

Nudge smiled and held her tongue, listening instead of talking for once. This was her job, her job to keep Max busy until three thirty. What better way than to have her talk it out? Fang had called her, begging for help. She agreed, then called Angel. They each called Gazzy and Iggy, who told Tally, who called Dr. Martinez and Ella. '_A very long chain of things…all for the cutest couple ever._' Nudge thought, smiling.

"I just said that Fang got shot in the wing yesterday, and you're smiling?"

"Oh! No, I was just thinking about how cool it would be if someone in the flock had little winged babies." She said, grinning again; she gave Max a mock speculative look, as if she was measuring herself for something. Max's face turned red.

"Hey, hey, hey. I'm all for babies, but I support waiting until marriage." She exclaimed, waving her hands in front of her face.

"Well then. … Let's get some games out." She suggested.

They played games, ate and watched movies for five hours before Nudge realized Fang was an hour and a half late. Seems like he's having a hard time deciding. "I'll be right back." Nudge said, standing up and grabbing her cell phone. She went into the bathroom and dialed Fangs number.

"Hello?" Fang answered, wind blowing around him."Where are you? She's getting suspicious! I mean, I understand that these things take time, but not five hours! Did you get a good one? Is it gonna work? Oh!"

"Nudge, I'm on my way, okay? You can leave now, Thanks." Fang said.

"Oh, you're welcome. I'd better get a part in IT for this.: Nudge exclaimed.

"If she agrees." So insecure,

"She will." Nudge assured.

"See ya."

Max waved as Nudge flew off, sighing as she glanced at the clock. Five fifty six, not fair. '_A few hours my ass.' _She thought, stamping her feet as she walked to their room. She swung open the closet and pulled out two dresses. One was black with dark blue silk around the edge of the bottom and the v-neck and the part that tied around her neck was also blue silk. The other was red and it had a high slit on the left an d along ruffle on the right. The neck line was low, but not too revealing. She chose the black one.

Max got all of her accessories, did her hair, and got some pumps. So her wings were showing? Only Fang would see.

"Max? Max, where'd you go?" Fang called. She walked towards the kitchen where Fang stood, wearing a black tux, a black under shirt, and a worried expression. His hair was messed up, which always made Max's knees weak.

"Right here." She said quietly, smiling. Fangs mouth fell open as it always did when she wore a dress.

"Uh…did you…uh…want to…uh…go out to dinner?" He asked, running a hand through his hair.

"My wings will show." Max said, dancing forward to his arms. One of his hands rubbed her right wing, making it tingle.

"No, they won't. Let's go." He whispered in her ear. "Well, I don't know how that's possible." Max purred, putting a hand on his chest. She felt his breath coming in faster. "Don't you trust me?" He gasped quietly, seeming to have a hard time breathing.

"Alright, I do trust you. Let's go." She sighed, brushing her lips across his.

"Do you want to fly or drive?" Fang asked, opening the door for her.

"Uh…let's fly." She grinned, heading towards the roof of the apartment building thing they lived in. (They have the whole top floor to them selves- like a pent house.) Something wasn't right about the way he was acting. Max gulped down her fears.


	2. Why hello!

Chapter Two kinda…

"Fang, this is a really expensive restaurant. What's up?" Max asked. Fang sighed, rolling his eyes at her, just to see her pout.

"Not when both of us have good jobs it's not. Anyways, I wanted to take you out for once. Is that such a crime?" He kissed her cheek and followed the waiter as he showed them to their table.

"Some one will be with you at once. Please, enjoy your time." The man gave Max a small bow, smiled too nicely at her, and left.

"So what IS this all about? And don't try to change the subject." She hissed, shifting in her seat. Obviously she was uncomfortable, not having something cover her wings; but a jacket or anything would be unnecessary. He'd found a way to make her wings become invisible- for at least two hours.

"Oh, you'll see sooner or later." He assured, flashing her a grin. Her nose wrinkled and she crossed her arms. A waitress walked up, smiling too warmly at Fang; he winced inwardly and ignored her. Obviously, she was a bottle blonde, not a natural like Max.

"Hi, I'm Kaciey, and I'll be yur server toa'night. What can I gettchu?" She asked with a very bad southern accent. Max's face blanked and Fang could see she was holding in laughter.

"Uh, yeah, I'll get a slab of ribs." She said, her voice smug and she was obviously putting heavy emphasis on her recently acquired Northern accent. "And some fries." Kaciey looked vaguely surprised.

"Uh…will you be sh-sharing that?" She asked. Fang grinned.

"No, I'll take the same, with a shrimp cocktail and bring some steak over here, too." What could he say? It was a classy restaurant and he liked to try new things. Max raised an eyebrow and smirked.

"Make that two. And I'll have a milkshake." She said.

"Uh…you realize that ya'll are in the Sapphire, right?"

"What I realize is that we're paying a lot of money to eat here and that you are not bringing us our food. I realize that it's a big order. Are the words too big for you and you're struggling to figure them out or are you just a natural b-"

"Max…" Fang warned slowly.

"So I suggest you go get our food if you want to keep your job." Max finished. Kaciey left immediately, looking thoroughly intimidated.

Through dinner Fang fidgeted nervously with the ring in his pocket. He was nervous. '_What if she says no?'_ He thought in panic. Max seemed completely at ease, though she knew something was up. That's Max.

"So, Fang, how was your food?" She asked, dipping her fingers in the sauce left in the cocktail.

"Same as yours Max. Very…well done." He said, grinning. She slowly licked her fingers clean.

"Hmm…that's nice. Oh, did you know that Nudge came over today?" She asked.

"No, how is she? Angry that we didn't call her?" Fang inquired.

"Yeah, she's fine. But before you came home, she got a call from her boss and had to go. Too bad." Max sighed, braiding her napkin.

"She can come over tomorrow. Hey your mother called and said she was coming into town." Fang said, not wanting her to be too surprised.

"Fang, how many times do I have to tell you?! She's pretty much your mom too. No more of this 'your mom' crap." Max laughed, waving a hand in the air.

"Okay, Mom called and said she was on her way with your sister. Does that make you happy?" He sighed in mock frustration.

"Yes, that makes me very happy." She granted him a large, runway smile. Fear bulleted through him as he stood up, shivering.

"Max, I've got a question to ask you." He said.

"Uh…okay." It was silly really, doing this all formally, but Fang wanted to get it right. So he kneeled down, got on one knee and opened the box.

Xxxxxxxxx Max's breath caught in her throat as Fang got on one knee and opened a velvet black box. Inside sat a ring. It was a band of silver with a heart shaped jade colored stone in the middle with two rubies on either side, princess cut.

"Maximum Ride, will you marry me?" He asked, dark eyes wide and hopeful.

"Oh, yeah, baby!!" She shouted, unable to contain herself. Max jumped off her chair and into his arms. He kissed her neck and slid the ring on her ring finger.

"Thanks." he whispered in her ear. The other people were "awww" ing and clapping.

Xxxxxxxxx When they got home, Max found Iggy, Gazzy, Nudge, Angel, Ella, and Doctor Martinez all standing in the kitchen. All of their eyes darted to her left hand when they first saw them then they all started talking at once.

"Ohmygawds!! She said yes!! I knew it!!" Nudge cheered, hugging Fang around the waist. Max smiled at how much he'd changed. If he had been sixteen he would have stiffened up to the hug; now he patted Nudges back, looking relaxed completely.

"Did she like it? Oh, yes she did!!" Angel squealed, running over to Max and hugging her.

"Did everyone know about his but me?" Max demanded, hugging Angel back.

"Yeah, I was supposed to distract you, Angel helped with the ring, and Gazzy and Iggy got your mom and Ella here! You guys are perfect together!" Nudge exclaimed.

"What? Aw you guys! Uh…" Max's face turned red. She didn't know what to say.

"So, Max, can we help you with the wedding?" Nudge asked. Ella, Mom, Angel, and Tally all did Bambi eyes.

"Fine."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX October XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

On October thirty first Max stood in a white wedding dress, fiddling with her hair, which was up in a 'messy' bun and covered in diamonds. The dress she'd picked tied around her neck; the train was six feet long and the skirt was covered in glittering jewels. The v-necked front was a very soft satin that cling to her very snuggly. And made her look and feel very beautiful. Her wings were outspread, the brown specks spray painted white and they were sprinkled with glitter.

"Hold still, Max. If you keep fidgeting, your nails will be messed up!" Angel snapped, looking up. Nudge entered the room, her maid of honor dress glittering. Angels curls bounced as she stood. Her strapless, light mint green had a ribbon in the middle and it looked beautiful on her, as always. Nudge smiled brightly.

"Max, you should see Fang. He looks so nervous! Like he's scared you're going to chicken out!" Nudge exclaimed, dancing around the room. She turned on the radio, grinning.

"How's Gazzy and Iggy?" Max asked, petting Meowy as he rubbed against her leg.

"Gazzy's holding ring and Iggy is waiting by Fang. You should, uh, know, Max-"

"Nudge, what did you do?" Max hissed.

"Well I figured that in a formal wedding, a father's supposed to walk a daughter down the aisle, so I kinda-sorta… Well, you did give me power over the invite list. I wasn't sure if I should have invited Jeb or Bill, so I invited both!" Nudge said nervously.

"What? Why on_ Earth_ would you invite JEB?! The last time I saw him was when I was sixteen." '_Crap,_' she thought. She didn't want them to know about that.

"What happened?! You never told us you saw him then!!" Nudge gasped.

"Well, Fang came with me. I was hurt again and we went to moms house and he was there. When he offered to help, I wanted to leave, but it was almost impossible. So…Mom fixed me and yeah. Fang hit Jeb for saying something, I can't remember and we left Not the best terms." Max wanted to cry, but she held it back.

"Well, what about Bill?" Nudge asked, looking guilty.

"He's okay, but I barely know him. And his name isn't Bill, it's Hernando." Max sighed.

"Well, bill is easier than _Hernando_, anyways." Nudge rolled her eyes. "And there's something els-"

"Ten min- whoa." Some guy with pretty brown colored hair stuck his head in.

"What?" Nudge demanded. Angel giggled nervously.

"We'll be out in a few, Sam." She said. Max's eyes widened and she looked faint.

"Max, you look great! Long time, no see." Sam said, polite as ever. Max smiled as he backed out.

"She invited all of your old friends from school!" Angel tattled, wide eyed. Nudge started fidgeting,

"What?" Max gasped.

"I, uh, have to go check on…uh, something." Angel rushed out of the room, wings twitching as if she wanted to fly.

Xxxx Angel ran towards where Fang was talking to Lissa, trying to ignore the thoughts of people. Lissa's thoughts were on something Angel didn't want to hear. Fangs were slightly red and angry while slightly confused and uncomfortable. Angel sighed, finally getting to them.

"…So you're defiantly getting married? It's not your friend?" She cooed.

"Yeah,…OH! Ange!" He said, relief coloring his voice. '_Help me!_' he thought.

"Hey, uh Lissa, you've got something to do at work and you can't make it back." Angel said, hearing Lissa's thoughts turn to her words.

"I have something to do at work, and I won't make it back today." She said in a trance like voice. Angel waved and turned back to Fang.

"Sam wants to talk to you. And who is going to walk Max down the aisle?" Angel asked, smiling. "Jeb or Hernando?" Fangs eyes and darkened and he looked over her head, trying to see him.

"Not Jeb," he growled.

"Okay, I guess we'll see how she wants this to go." Angel skipped back to the dressing room. Of course, when she bumped into Max, she only giggled. To her, it was weird seeing _her_ Max in a wedding dress; she'd always been a mother to Angel.

XXXX Max smiled tightly at Jeb and Hernando as they both hooked an arm through hers.

"I always knew you two would be together." Jeb said in Voice mode. She grimaced, looking forward. The piano-ist smiled at her as she passed, but she could see the baffled expression; she had two men walking her down the aisle. Both of which she hadn't considered a dad to her. Jeb- her actual bio father- but not her dad. Hernando- married to her mother, step-father, but not step-dad.

Before she knew it, Max was in front of the priest, with Fangs, wide, shocked eyes staring at her.

"enter priests words here. Lots of words…" the priest said, turning to Fang. "Do you, Fang Ride, take Maximum Martinez to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, through sickness and through health till death do you part?"

"I do." Fang said quickly, whole body shaking.

"And do you Maximum Martinez re-enter question" Max took a deep breath, wanting her voice to sound strong. She saw Fangs face start getting scared when she paused.

"I do." She said, loud and clear. A true Max voice.

"By the blah blah enter speech." The people in the pews stood up, cheering loudly. Max could see JJ, her old best friend.

"Okay, everyone, get your cameras ready!" Angel called in a teasing voice, camera ready. She'd been taking pictures of the whole thing. Nudge was on the other side, using a black and white camera. Fang and Max leaned towards each other, ignoring the flashing cameras as they kissed.

The crowd cheered again, rushing to surround the new couple. Max smiled as Dr. Martinez came up holding a video camera. Fangs face got darker in color.

"Yes, Fang, we got the look on your face when you saw Max on tape." She laughed.

"Okay, everyone! Max is gonna throw the bouquet and then we'll the happy couple cut the cake! And after that we can go to the after party place across the street and dance." Nudge opened her mouth to go on, but Iggy got to her and closed her mouth. Max sheepishly got beside her.

"I guess I have to throw this now…" She said, turning towards the large, colored window that was behind them. The women in the crowd gathered around tightly, waiting. Max sighed and closed her eyes, throwing the bouquet of colorful flowers behind her. A small squeal filled the church. Max looked back and saw Tally holding the bouquet, looking shocked.

"Who caught it?" Iggy asked.

"Your girlfriend!" Gazzy said in a deep, announcers voice. Iggy's usually paper white face turned blood red. Tally ran up to him and pulled him down by the neck, kissing him; the whole church paused, then laughed weakly. When Tally pulled away, she looked at Max.

"Congratulations dudette!! But you know, you'll have to quit your job, now." Tally said, then slapped her hand over her mouth, looking wide eyed at Fang.

"S'okay, he knows."

Everyone waited as Fang got gently behind Max and put his hand over hers, helping her cut the large, beautiful cake. Angel and Nudge got loads of pictures, lots and lots of pictures. Sam kissed Max's cheek; Fang put an arm around her waist after that. Dr. Martinez and Ella hugged her and congratulated them. Mom put a hand out, not sure if Fang wanted a hug or not. Fang smiled and gave her a hug. She seemed shocked, but returned the hug.

"Hey, I have a big brother now!" Ella exclaimed, looking dazedly startled.

"Yeah, and I have another little sister." Fang grinned at her, hugging her. Jeb sauntered over, looking grumpily at Hernando.

"Congrats, Max!" Hernando said, giving her a tight hug and carefully avoiding her wings. It was at that moment when Max noticed two things. One Fangs wings were out spread too. And two- Tally had lime green wings folded on her back.

"Uh, thanks 'Nando." She mumbled, distracted.

"Let's go everyone!" Nudges voice carried, making everyone head towards the after party.

When they got there Nudge got on stage and started babbling into the mike, talking excitedly about how cool it was that they were finally married and then somehow she got on the subject of how good the cake was and that things were finally going well and that the food was really really good. Iggy finally sighed and pushed her off stage, taking the mike.

"Hey, guys. As you know, Max has always been my little sister- well, yeah I guess she's older than me, but she's way shorter than me so I considered her my younger sister after a while. And Fang's been my best friend since forever. They've always supported us - the family- and always looked after us. They were like a mom and dad to us. And know they finally admitted it to each other. And, though Fang is my friend, I want him to know that if he ever hurts Max, I will rip his insides out and beat him with his large intestine. Just saying. I want to tell them how grateful I am. No matter how ungrateful I acted when I was fourteen, fifteen and sixteen, I was really glad that I had someone to help me bear with this horrid place we call home. Most people would say we're rough around the edges- they're wrong. Max made sure we were sharp and pointed around the edges. No one could hurt us if she was there. Fang made sure we all had back bones and knew who to trust and who to let in. If he ever left, we were all sort of spineless- we also had large prides and never let anyone else know. So thanks guys!" Iggy said, smiling brightly. Max was crying, but she was trying to hide it, Fangs face was glowing. She ran up to the 'stage' and hugged him, tailed by Fang. She kissed Iggy's cheek.

"That was so sweet, Iggy. Thank you so much." Iggy kissed her cheek in a brother-sister gesture.

"Watch it Iggy. Your speech was cool, but not that cool." Fang laughed, giving Iggy a 'man-hug'.

Fang could barely contain his happiness. Today had been great, nothing had gone wrong. '_Well, almost nothing._' he thought, grimacing. Seeing Lissa and Sam had defiantly put a damper on his day; made him slightly depressed. It made him embarrassed and angry at himself. '_How could I be so stupid?_' he thought. Out of the corner of his eye, Fang saw Max talking politely to Sam. But she looked distracted, which made him happy.

"Fang, do you think you and Max are going to have little avian-human babies?" An unrecognizable six year old asked, staring up at him with two different colored eyes.

"What? Who are you?" Fang asked, startled. Dr. Martinez came over and grabbed the girl, swinging her in a circle playfully.

"Silly girl, Fang doesn't know you. Sorry, Fang. This is my niece, making her your cousin-in-law. Her name is Carlotta. Say hi." She said. The little girl waved.

"Hi, Fang." The girl smiled sweetly, so much like Angel with dark hair when she was little. Suddenly her smile dropped into a blank face. "Now answer my question." She demanded in a startlingly strong voice.

"Uh…I….uh…" Fang stammered, blushing. Valencia turned to the little girl, glaring.

"What, exactly, did you ask, Carla?" Carla's face immediately turned innocent.

"Nothing, really…"

"She asked if Max and Fang were going to have kids. I was wondering myself." Tally came out of nowhere, grinning. Fangs blush deepened as he stared around the crowd, looking for Max. All he could find were Angel, Nudge, Gazzy, and Iggy. Something made him worry. Sam was nowhere to be seen either. He was sending frantic thoughts to Angel to get him out of this situation. She just grinned and turned away.

"I uh…well…I…we…" His face just got darker as he stammered over his words. Some ones hot breath was on his neck and he felt himself relax at the voice.

"Why so tense?" Max asked, arms around his chest.

"Your cousin has a question to ask you." He said, pretending to try to squirm out of her grasp. Of course, he'd rather stay and listen. Max's arms clamped down harder; Fang grinned.

"What?" Max asked, sounding slightly confused.

"This is my niece, Max. Her name is Carlotta. She's your cousin and you guys don't have to answer her question. Actually, I'd prefer you didn't." Valencia winced.

"Hi, Carla. Fang, what question? Why is everyone making such a big deal about this?" Max asked, smiling over his shoulder. Fang looked down and saw that she was standing on her tiptoes in heals.

"It's awkward." He said. She kissed his cheek.

"Talking is awkward for you, Fang." She giggled. His knees shook a little. Tally sighed loudly.

"Are you gonna have kids?" She asked, sounding exasperated. Max's face turned bright red at an alarming rate, matching a delicate rose.

"I don't know…we just got married an hour ago!" She said, pinching Fangs arm. "You could've warned me!" She hissed.

"Where's Sam?" Fang asked, feeling tense. Max stood in front of him now, brown eyes wide and innocent.

"I asked him to leave." She said, smiling. A shock ran through Fang. Why had she asked him to leave? _'She was having fun with him here._' He thought, hiding the shock on his face.

"Why?" He asked finally, unable to contain it.

"You were tense with him here. I want you to be happy before I want him to be happy." She said, smiling. "I love _you,_ Mr. Ride."

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Three hours later Max was pulling her hair down from the design. She didn't feel the least bit tired- she was keyed up. _'Something about getting married makes me giddy.'_ She thought with a giggle. Fang came into the bathroom and smiled at her, face exuberant.

"So did you have fun?" He asked. Max shook her head.

"Nope. I mean, I only got married to the best man in the world and I had my entire family plus some at my after party and now I'm with my new husband. Why would I be having fun?" Max asked sarcastically. Fang wound his arms around her small waist and rubbed her wings.

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The next day they were frantically running around the hotel room in a panic. Max could feel her stomach knotting up. Something was going to go wrong. She was still in Fangs t-shirt and boxers from the night before and her hair was in a knotted mess.

"Max, we have wings. How hard can it be to get to Indonesia? I mean, you flew to Germany!"

"First in a plane, then with wings! And no luggage!" She cried, putting her hair up.

"We don't need any luggage. Calm down. If we miss our flight, Angel can get us tickets for the next one." Fang said, messaging Max's shoulders.

"Okay, but…let's get changed and showered and maybe we can even -gasp!- brush our hair!" She put a hand over her mouth as if she was actually in shock. Fang chuckled. As they got ready, Max couldn't help but worry. She would be in Borneo for a week, with no way to keep in contact with the flock…

On the plane, Fang kept rubbing the back of Max's hand, trying to calm her down. He was debating on whether he should tell her now, or later, but he swore to himself that he would tell her.

"Fang, Tally's got wings." Max blurted suddenly."What?" Fang asked, only barely surprised. Iggy said something about knowing another winged girl…

"Yesterday I saw lime green wings on her back…" She made a face.

"I didn't see anything but you." He said. He leaned towards her and kissed her lips. Someone cleared their throat from beside them, but neither Fang nor Max noticed.

"Please fasten your seatbelts. We are now landing in England." A mechanical voice said. Max's eyes lit up and Fang could tell she was excited.

"You ready for another plane?" He asked, squeezing her hand and leading her off.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

A week later Fang kicked open the door of his apartment, carrying Max's luggage. No matter how hard he struggled with all the bags, he couldn't drop his smile. The only thing that made him frown was the idea of how Max would react to his actual job. '_She'd be fine with it….if I hadn't lied.'_ He thought with a grimace.

"Max!" A dark ball of hair and skin flew past him and knocked Max to the ground.

"Hi, Nudge." She laughed. Iggy and Gazzy ran out of nowhere an took Fang down.

"Whassup guys?" He asked.

"Shhh…Quiet. Boyslyf, want Xam." Iggy said urgently.

"What? I thought they were all dead!" Fang whispered, spreading his wings and walking towards the back bedroom. He crept along the wall, pressing his wings flat against it. He heard the small, easily recognizable buzz coming from the room. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Half way through exhaling a metal hand closed around his throat and lifted him off the throat.

"We have been searching for you. Our master wants Maximums assistance." One droned.

"Why? You want me dead, remember?" Max's foot kicked the base of the metal spine, forcing the Flyboy to wink out and fall to the ground. She continued to take out all of the Flyboys around her while Fang choked and crept into the bedroom. A man with baby fine blonde hair and blue-green eyes stood in the room. He looked strong and also scared.

"Is Maximum hurt?" He asked.

"No, who are you?"

"Omega?!" Max shrieked and Fang stiffened. She'd told him a million different things about him.

"Yes Maximum. But I am not here to fight. I am here to ask a favor of you." The man blinked, looking around the room.

"Call off the Flyboys you have around the house." Max said.

"None. I have no more Flyboys. I was merely to ask your opinion or for your help." Omega said, looking down.

"What do you need my help with?" Max asked; Fang could tell she was growing curious.

"I need you to assassinate someone for me." Max let out a loud laugh.

"What? Haven't you noticed? I have no clue what you're talking about! Assassinate?" She questioned.

"We…thought….on the records we stole, they say 'Ride, avian hybrid' and lots of other…blah. You're the only Ride there-" Omega's sharp eyes seemed to catch the matching rings on Fang and Max's fingers.

"Assassin...?" Max looked at Fang in shock and confusion. "I'm not an assassin." Max shook her head. The muscles in his stomach tightened.

Max's eyes shot from Fang to Omega and back again. Something was up and she didn't like not knowing; Omega fidgeted nervously and she could tell he wasn't evil anymore. Something had happened- had he resisted his master? Formed a soul?

"Okay, Fang, what the hell is going on?" She snapped, turning on him.

"Omega, please leave, I need to talk to Max alone." Omega nodded and headed out the window. Max watched silently as Fang dropped the Flyduds out the window and close it.

"Fang, what is there to talk about?" Fang pushed her down and sat down beside her.

"Uhn…it's about my job. I'm not quite the police officer you think I am." '_Oh goth…'_

"Really? And what would you be?""I'm an assassin, but I do work with the good guys." Fang said hurriedly, holding his hands up.

"What do you mean an assassin?" She asked, her voice surprisingly casual.

"Well I sometimes go in and take out drug dealers, or mob bosses or sometimes stop terrorists and-"

"The gun shot wounds…"

"Mess ups by my partners. I planned on telling you Max, really I did, but-"

"I want to work with you?" That didn't seem to shock him much…not.

"Huh??"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Three days had gone by and they finally came to an agreement. If Max was to work with Fang, he got to see her model for one last week. Omega would stay in one of their guest bedrooms for a while, until they figured out what to do with him. Max's cat went missing, so Fang got Max a puppy; a rottweiler named Lucifer. He was a tiny puppy that loved to play.

"Okay, Fang, ready for a modeling week to start?" Max asked with a grimace.

"Yup, coming. Lucifer, come on."

"I don't know why you want to see this. It's pretty boring." Max sighed, jumping into the air from the roof. Fang pulled a folded something from his pocket.

"Oh, I think it could be fun." He unfolded the paper and showed Max the picture. She was in high heels, an army colored bikini, and under a water fall. The back ground was fake, but it looked great.

"Perve, take Lucifer, I can't hold him." The puppy yelped as she tossed him to Fang.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

When the two arrived at the Sweet Fashion building, they landed in the back. Max pulled out a set of keys and unlocked the door, going in quickly. Fangs eyes widened at how busy the place was. People ran around, spraying things, powdering faces, throwing clothes and bathing suits, and doing hair. A…peculiar man with spiked hair ran up to Max, bringing a group of people with him.

"Today, you're doing a swim suit shot, then one of those strange greenery shots. They want them to advertise you as a model. Don't ask. And at least four angel shots. You might want some of this." The man took a drink of white wine and handed it to her. She smiled and drained it.

"And who is _this_?" He asked, moving his gaze to Fang.

"Fang - Pierre, Pierre, Fang. He's my husband. Now back off." She winked as Pierre mock pouted.

"Oh, well, you've finally brought him to see us! You're going to like this- if you can keep up, that is." He waved a hand and the group of people started talking rapidly, walking Max towards a mirror.

"Mrs. Ride, I'm thinking that for the suit shot we should leave your hair down and let you just kind of grin…or smirk." The woman said.

"Which one?" Max asked seriously, taking a deep breath.

"Um, I don't know…uh…oh that one!" She said as Max smirked. It was a victorious, bring it on smirk.

"How about I just smile in that shot? And in the greenery shot I can smirk?" Ma said, holding up a hand. Fang just watched, holding the puppy. They nodded at her idea.

"Cindy, she's got to put the suit on first, then make up! Move it!!" A blonde woman came running out of nowhere, holding a red two piece bikini. She thrust it into Max's hands.

When Max came out of the changing room, she looked…stunning. Fang was getting sweaty just staring at her. She wore high heels that matched the shade of her swim suit. She looked completely comfortable; until she saw Fang with his big mouth hanging open. Her arms wrapped around her stomach quickly and her wings spread out.

"Max, c'mon, we don't have time for shy hybrids!" Pierre teased, putting a hand on her shoulder. Fang took a step forward, only to be stopped by a young model.

"Are you new here? You look lost," she noted.

"Uh…just visiting." He mumbled. The girl leaned against him. "Excuse me." He growled, lifting his left hand and showing his wedding band.

"She doesn't have to know." The girl whispered.

"Hi, Angela." Max's voice was acid, hostile. Angela stepped back and looked at her.

"He's taken." She whispered. Max leaned down to Angela's ear.

"He's mine." Angela hiccupped, eyes darting to Max's matching wedding band. Fang smirked at her astonished face.

"Angela, you have to hurry! Max has to get ready!" Angela pouted as Max glared.

"I'm guessing you two aren't good friends?" Fang asked, petting Lucifer.

"Uh-uh. She hates me…and adores you. You can put Lucy down- he won't get too far." She giggled at Fangs face.

"Not Lucy." He grumbled.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX One hour later XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Okay, Max, just lay on the lawn chair like you're really on the beach- okay, _not_ the best suggestion, but you know what I mean." The whole crew laughed- Max's face was wry and sarcastic.

"Right, if no one was at said beach and I wasn't worried about people randomly showing up!" She laughed. Pierre held up a hand and everyone got quiet.

"Does…Fang, get your fine butt over here!" Pierre called. Max laughed as Fang blushed and came by the rest of the crew.

"Yeah?" He asked passively.

"Do you have wings like Max here?" he asked, gesturing to Max. Fang rocked back on his heels, looking around. Of course, they had to know…

"Uh-huh." He spread his large wings impressively, watching with satisfaction as everyone gasped.

"Marvelous. Would mind posing with Max in her angel shots?" Pierre asked, looking vaguely amazed.

"I thought that was my shot!" A man demanded, scowling at Fangs meek face.

"You'll still get paid, but Fangs her husband and he's got real wings. Go play with something until we're done." Lucifer ran onto the scene as Max leaned back and closed her eyes. The crew laughed when he laid down next to her hand that was hanging down.

"Lucy-fur, what are you doing?" She giggled at her correction of his name.

"No, keep him laying there. It works." Pierre snapped his fingers and smiled.

XXXX _Snap! Snap! Snap! Snap!! _The camera flashed and Max let out a sigh. Lucifer was yipping now, he was scared of the camera. Fang was watching with a funny look on his face: he looked bedazzled and stunned.

"Okay, get her into the smexy camo gear!" Pierre called, winking.

'_This is your life,'_ the cameras seemed to say.

"Not anymore." Max murmured to herself. The clothes were…amazing, to say the least. The arm colored jacket-type shirt covered only from the top of her chest to her ribs. The pants fit her hips nicely, then bagged out near the bottom. They had six pockets. She wore black boots with high heels and some brown make up smeared on her cheek bone, looking like dirt. The scene- back drop- looked like a forest, and Max was to have her arm around a tree and wear the smirk. So she held a tree, smirked at the camera like she knew exactly what she was doing and stood perfectly still.

"Great, those look like great shots! Pose now, this is for the boss!" Pierre laughed as Max flicked the cameras off with a wink and a kiss. She saw Fang start laughing and smile at her.

"Okay, we have to move now!! Smexy angel shots!" Pierre grabbed her camo clad elbow and dragged her to the dressing rooms. She saw Fang get shoved roughly into a dressing room. Her outfit now was a dress like thing. It was pale pink and very revealing. The top only covered her breasts, then had a strip on her right side, showing her whole torso, that connected to the bottom part with a thin strip of silk covering the tops of her thighs to her waist. Max's wings were to be out spread and a halo would be added in the final shots. When she was getting pushed to make-up, Max saw Fang come out of his dressing room. She was just about drooling. No shirt, black pants with holes in them, and gloves with spikes on the knuckles. Pierre handed in a glass of red wine and walked off. Fang looked at it in confusion. Max encouraged him with a smile. He looked rather appalled at her appearance. Lucifer licked her bare ankle, making her squeal. Fang smiled and headed for her.

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"Okay, Max, I want you to put your leg around Fang- yes like that. Now Fang, wrap your arms around her waist. Good, now spread your wings. Wonderful, Max, arms around his neck. Just stay in that pose for now." Pierre said, clapping. Fang- who had professionally fake fangs in his mouth- leaned towards Max's neck and opened his mouth. She leaned her head back. The pose was amazing. Her arms were around Fangs neck, while his were around her waist. She had her arms around his neck and had a leg around his waist. She was leaning her head back and Fang was leaning towards her neck. _Snap, snap, snap!! _

"Good! Now, Max put your back on his chest, please lower your wings- that's good- and put your hands on his face. Fang, put your hands on her waist, and look into the camera. Smile…whoa that looks really nice…Take six of these! I want some!" Pierre laughed. _Flash, flash, flash! _"Fang, take this and put it to Max's neck, Max smirk, and Fang put your tongue on her jaw somewhere, like your moving towards her jaw." As Fang did this, Max couldn't stop herself from turning her head and catching his tongue to kiss him. _Flash!_ "Get with the program Maxie! Sorry, do that in the dressing room after the shoot!" Pierre said, laughing. Max flushed and turned her head away again. She could feel Fangs tense muscles against her back and wings. _Snap, snap, snap!! "_Good, look at the shots!" Max dragged Fang to look at the shots. Pierre- a computer genius at heart- had already altered them to have what they needed. Max in the first shot now had a halo over her head and a faint glow around her body. Fang had fire around his wings and there was blood dripping from his mouth. They looked like a smexy angel/demon combo. The second shot was great, with Max looking content with her hands on Fangs face; he looked happy too. The third shot was by far the best. Max in her small outfit with a serious face on, looking at the camera with a knife at her throat; Fang in his badass outfit, tongue out at Max's jaw.

"Let's go home." She signed to him, turning to walk away. "Here Max!" Cindy ran up, handing her four thick manila envelopes full of her old pictures. "Thanks…" Max grumbled.

"Go ahead and take those outfits! And have fun!!" Pierre called, making her laugh.

"Bye!" Max called, tugging Lucifer out of Cathy's hands. Fang and Max made their way to the roof, then took off. Max grinned as she noticed Fang watching her with wide eyes. At some point he put a black shirt on….


	3. Well isn't this a surprise

3rd Chapter…

**3****rd**** Chapter…**

When the couple got home, it was dark outside. Fang kicked their door open and dropped Lucifer to the ground, looking back at Max in seconds. His eyes raked over her once more, taking in her barely-there outfit and the small smirk on her face. Fang shivered and closed the door behind her, staring down into her shining brown eyes. He leaned down and kissed her lips. Her arms wrapped around his neck as she kissed him back; her hands were cool on his back as he tangled his hands into her hair. He pulled her head back slightly, laughing quietly as her bottom lip jutted out. Fang nibbled it, then kissed her neck. She giggled and bit down hard on his lip, making him wince. _'No matter how gentle she wants to be, Max is always going to be rough…'_ He thought, stroking her wings. His were slightly outspread, and she followed his example. They were in their room suddenly, closing the door with their feet. They only stopped when Max's calves hit the bed. She looked up at him, then took her shoes off slowly. Fang bent down and kissed her again, slowly, happily. His muscles tensed in shock as her cold hands slid up his shirt, then took it off for him. He brushed his bare knuckles across her cheek and realized vaguely that she'd taken his gloves off. So, he slid the dress off her- his pants hit the floor at the same time- and they both fell back on the bed, laughing. Max's strapless, lacey pink bra was confusing Fang. He glared down at it, confuzzled. Max giggled loudly, touching his face.

"Try the front, dumb ass." She murmured. Then he found the clasp…

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The next morning Fang woke to a loud banging at his bedroom door. He looked down and saw Max in his black t-shirt and blue boxers. He smiled softly. The banging stopped, then started over. Growling, he got up and put some pants on. On the other side of the door was Omega, with a piece of paper in his hand.

"What?" Fang demanded, looking down at him.

"I have a message for Maximum." Omega mumbled, not meeting Fangs eyes.

"What does it say?" Fang asked; the shorter man shook his head.

"Fang, what's wrong? It's cold!" Max came over, tying her messy hair up. "Oh, hi Omega. What' s up?" Se smiled, taking the note from the blonde man.

_Max, today we're going to try to get some new shots! The agency ah-dored your shots from yesterdays. Especially the ones that weren't for the magazine, so we're taking more of those. A shampoo company wants some shots too, with wings. –Pierre. Ps- hi Fang. _

She started laughing, kissing Fangs cheek. "Thank you, 'Mega. See ya!"

XVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVHHHXVXVXVXVXVXVGGGXVVXVXVXVXV

The modeling week passed quickly and Max found her self hiding the envelopes of pictures from Fang. He would want to keep them. She shuddered at the thought of it. It was Saturday and Fang was supposed to take her to work with him so she could get a job along side him. So when he opened the bathroom door, telling her to hurry up, she just sighed.

"Coming. Just…We're DRIVING!" She snapped suddenly, tuning the lights off and walking to the door. Fang wore a t-shirt and jeans. So that's what she wore.

"Why are we dressed so… casually?" She wondered, petting Lucifer on her way out. Fang locked the door and smiled at her.

"Because, you never know what kind of job we'll have, so we change at the office." HE chuckled.

"Oh…what could we be doing?" She asked, getting into the elevator.

"You might be going into training, or you could be going into the field as an armature." HE grinned.

In the car ride, Max continued to fidget until they reached a gate that had barbed wire on it and a camera on each post. Beside the car window was a little screen. It had a double oh seven feel to it…Fang chuckled, reading her face.

'Hey, Fang. Who's the pretty lady with you?" A mans voice asked; Max realized with a jolt that it was coming from the screen.

"This is Max…my wife." Fang smiled widely. She never saw that smile- at least, not much.

'_No, that's a lie. I see it ever time he says 'my wife.' How sweet…'_ She thought.

"Hello, Mrs. Ride, you've finally decided to join us. Right? She is joining, right Fang?" The man continued.

"Yes, she is. Though I was trying to AVOID this. Oh well, let us in Joey." The gates slid open, but Fang didn't move; blue lights flashed, and he accelerated.

"What happened to your last partner?" Max asked curiously.

"What? Oh…Hunter? He fainted on the job and we had to switch him to a desk job. Poor guy." Fang shook his head, no sympathy on his face.

"So who's your new partner?" She asked. Fang shrugged.

"No one, right now. Hopefully you, if the boss likes you." He smirked, parking the car. "He will." He swiftly kissed her lips and opened his door. She followed him, retying her gym shoes when she got out. Max took a deep breath, squared her shoulders, ruffled her wings, and walked around the car to Fangs side. He casually put his arm around her shoulders.

Fang led Max into the office, then down two flights of stairs. People nodded politely at them, but did double-takes to look at Max. He sighed; great, now he'd have to be paranoid here. One woman stopped in front of them, looking at Max with a confused/excited expression.

"Are you…do you model?" She asked going into her purse and pulling out a _Sweet Fashion_ magazine.

"Uh…yeah…" Max whispered, cheeks red. The woman opened the magazine to a picture. Fang's cheeks burned when he saw the picture, too. I was the Angel/ Devil picture that he'd posed in, too.

"Oh, I remember that…" She whispered. The lady nodded and pulled out a stack of colored copies, running and handing them out. Max shook her head.

"So, what do we do now?" She asked him. Fang pointed to an office.

"We talk to Adam. He'll get you set up."

Adam Vann was a tall man with short blonde hair. He had a lean build that was more for speed than strength. His office was decorated casually, with foot ball posters beside basketball posters on the walls. Even the desk looked like it would have been strictly business like, if not for the gum wrappers, Duncan Donuts coffee cups, magazines, and magic markers littered across it. He was polite and humorous at times, but seemed like he could be serious when need be.

"So, you've damned yourself to life with Fang?" He asked, looking at Max as he sat down on a chair as uncomfortable looking as theirs.

"Yeah, well I figured he'd been stuck with me, so I could handle him." She smiled and Adam nodded in approval.

"Fang, you decided to let her in on the job, I'm guessing?" He turned his green eyed gaze on Fang.

"No, she forced me to let her come. I don't want to let her work here. She might get hurt." He said. Max's closed fist decked his arm before he saw her move. He winced.

"As I recall, I could take care of myself and five other kids just fine!" She snapped, glaring at him.

"I know, I know." Fang grumbled, looking at her from under his bangs.

"Okay, Max, we're going to send you on a mission. Just a small one; by your self. Just to see how you do." Adam smiled at Fangs outraged and confused expression.

"Okay, but I'm not sure what to do." Max said, nodding with a stubborn expression.

It's simple really- All Max had to do was get into a big time drug dealers pent house, take him down or get evidence to arrest him…with out getting killed. Fang was fuming behind her as she walked into a club. She wore a red glittery dress, the neck line low and the slit in the side came to her hip. The high heals matched, only minus-ing the glitter. The glass doors slid open smoothly and she walked in. The bouncer- a large man who looked more like a line backer for a football team than anything else- stopped her.

"I was invited by Vince Carsorington." She smiled widely and the bouncer jerked his thumb back, allowing her to pass.

Fang glared at Adam, crossing his arms over his chest. This was _not_ what he signed up for. He told Adam that she either needed to go into training or on a small armature run with him; not that it mattered. A training session helped with martial arts, defense, street fighting, gun shooting, and dodging bullets. An amateur job would have been an arrest. Something the cops could handle. Not a murderous drug dealer with a bad temper.

"Cool it, Ride. It's one of our new training sessions. She won't be in any danger." Adam said, looking at the glass doors.

After a lovely hour of fake flirting, Max got Vince to take her to his pent house. Two men had stood at the door, with metal detectors. They got nothing. Inside, Vince poured two cups of red wine, handing one to Max. She sipped delicately.

"So, Krystal, what kind of business are you in?"

"Oh, I own a bar, do some bar tending, you know. I mix drinks and make them taste better." She smiled. Vince gestured to the kitchen with a bar in it.

"Are you any good?"

"You tell me." She purred, walking up to him. She delicately pricked his skin with a needle- a tranquilizer hidden in her hand, and walked into the bar. He followed slowly, handing her a cup. She swallowed slowly and pulled a bottle of red wine out and some beer. Then tequila. She poured them together.

Finally Vince fell to the ground with a muted thud, stone asleep. She carefully leapt over him and went to the back. She pulled a pair of rubber gloves out of her bra and put them on. She had walked into his bedroom and began opening dresser drawers. The bottom one had a loaded magnum in it, so she took it, sticking it in the side of her underwear. The next drawer up held syringes, plastic bags, lighters, and cellophane. Sitting on the bed was a cell phone. Max picked it up, then opened it. She pushed the contact button, going through the numbers. Obviously this was his business phone. _**BANG!**_ A bullet whizzed past her face. The door shattered as more bullets flew towards her. Max ducked and rolled, cocking the gun.

"Okay, if I get hit, I'm going to be so pissed." She muttered, leaning out the door and shooting. A cry of agony told her that she had hit someone. She shot again-twice- not really aiming. Another cry ripped through the pent house and more bullets flew, destroying furniture. Max got up, running for the door. Bangs followed her but it didn't matter, she was going straight to the basement. Gasping breath told her that the bodyguards were still chasing her. Damn, she was going to get caught. Max turned around, trying to see if she'd lost them, only to trip and land on the bottom of the stairs.

Lights flickered on and claps, whistles, and cheers caused Max to duck. When she looked up, a bunch of people were standing in front of her- including Fang and Adam. She was confused- and wearing a revealing dress. Two men came and helped her up, both holding one of her arms. They were smiling and grinning.

"Good job, for your first training session. You surprised us by making it this far." The blonde one said. The brunette nodded.

"Yeah, you did really great." He smiled. Fang swooped in, putting his arms around her waist.

"Excuse me, James, Zach, but I want to spend sometime with my wife." He said, leaning down to kiss her lips gently.

As Mr. and Mrs. Fang Ride made their way to their car, Max was chattering about how exciting her day was. Fang nodded and smiled, but he was weak with relieve; a stupid reaction. He should have known Adam wouldn't send her in unpracticed.

"Fang, are you okay?" Max asked, looking at him as they drove home.

"Yeah, why?" She just shook her head. The dark sky was stormy and Fang liked it. Thunder clapped and lighting struck.

"Look- the Angels are taking a picture." Max mumbled.

XHLKISFNWOXCRYPTICMESSAGELKJLOISDFLJSDLKJLSDKLHELLOJDLSKJFLDSO

_**Two years later**_

_Left kick. Right punch. Sweep downwards._ Max gagged and ran from her trainer and into the bathroom. She fell to her knees and started throwing up. Her stomach heaved and she leaned her head down farther. Someone pulled her hair back, asking if she wanted to call Fang.

"Uh…no, just tell him that I went home sick, if you see him." Max said, getting to her feet slowly and wiping her mouth. Dizziness washed over her again and she spat up more. She wiped her mouth and turned slowly to her 'savior'.

"Thank you, Lilly. Sorry to cut our training session short. I was fine earlier…" Max smiled, head spinning.

"Do you want me to drive you home?" Lilly asked, blue eyes worried.

"Nah, I'll just fly." Max smiled once more and walked slowly to the door. She felt every ones eyes on her back. They were worried- she could tell. On her way to the roof, she ran into Fang.

"Hey, cutie. Where're you going?" He asked, going to kiss her. Max dodged and turned around, puking again.

"Home. I'm sick." She muttered; she could practically hear Fangs thoughts- he was worried.

"C'mon, I'll drive you. Did you feel sick this morning?" he asked, leading her by the waist back down the stairs.

"No, I felt fine. I feel really dizzy now, though. Why can't we fly?" She whined, looking remorsefully up the stairs.

"Because you're so dizzy, Max. Plus, sick twenty three year old hybrids shouldn't fly." He kissed her forehead.

At home Fang cooked Max a bowl of soup, left a note for Omega, who still visited sometimes, not to wake her, and tucked her sweetly into their king sized bed.

"You sure you don't want me to stay home?" Fang asked, dark hair falling over his face in worry.

"I'm sure. I think I'll just take a nap. After I eat." She added with a quick, weak smile.

"Okay, I love you." He said, leaning down and kissing her forehead.

"I love you, too." She smiled.

"See you at eight." He walked out, locking the front door. Lucifer jumped onto the bed, all one fifty pounds of him. He looked like a fully grown rottweiler, but he was really a baby still.

"Hey, baby." She said to the dog, rubbing him between the ears. "Do you know what's wrong with me?" Max giggled, though she trusted the dog completely. She'd thought it was just a coincidence when the dog had freaked out from his baby sitters and made them come home from a mission- right after they left a bomb went off in the building they were in. But when he saved them two more times- once from a blizzard and once from a car accident –Max was convinced he could sense things. Lucifer laid his head on her tummy, looking up at her with baby eyes. Of course, he was Max's baby.

"I have the stomach flu?" She guessed, petting him. He made a snorting sound and shook his head. "I have…a virus??" Repeat actions. "Hmm…I'm nervous?" The dog did the baby eyes again. "…Baby?" She asked very quietly, looking down. Lucifer's tail wagged rapidly and Max's heart sputtered. "W-what?! No, Lucy! N-no." She paused. "Really?" The dog yipped excitedly.

Two days passed and Fang insisted that Max stay home. She was still getting sick. She even got up at midnight to throw up, randomly; obviously she didn't know he knew. He was worried. But maybe she just had the flu. For some reason, she stayed close to the dog, who didn't let their neighbors or guests near her.

"Max! I have to work late, so I'll see you in the morning! I love you!"

"Love you, too…" _Plopsh, flush_… She was throwing up again. "I'm okay!" She called, groaning. Lucifer jumped up from his dog bed, licked Fang's hand, and trotted quickly into the bathroom.

When Fang left, Max crawled out of the bathroom and dialed the only person she could think of. The only boy she could look at as a big brother. Iggy, who would have to tell Gazzy and Tally some thing. The phone rang twice before Iggy answered.

"Hello?"

"Iggy? It's Max, and I need your help." Sh said, knowing her voice sounded weak.

"Why? What's wrong, Max?" He asked urgently, something jingling in the background; he was already heading out the door.

"I'm asking you- my 'big' brother- to come here to help me. I'll explain later." Max said, hanging up.

Two hours later, Iggy arrived by cab, rushing up the stairs and into Max's house. He was panting and stressed. Lucifer started growling at him.

"It's okay boy. He's my brother." Max said with a queasy look on her face.

"What's wrong Max?" Iggy asked. She got up and helped him sit in a chair.

"Iggy…I think…I-" Lucifer cut her off with a bark. "Lucy and I think that I may be possibly…may be…uh…ahpreglsdlnt." She whispered incoherently.

"What?" Iggy asked, guessing at what he'd just heard.

"Yeah…we think I'm pregnant. I don't know what to do. Well, I mean, I'm going to a clinic to find out, but I want you to come with me." She said in a rush.

"Okay…okay, yeah. Let's go. Right…" Iggy muttered. She could tell he was shocked. Oh well. Max grabbed a hair scrunchie and opened the door, leading Iggy to the roof.

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**hey everyone. i need reviews. so review. now. please. good or bad. yeah. and i need your input. insight. what ever. posative or negative? i don't have a lot of readers, but that's okay. so long as some people like it. and yeah...so read then review, it's not complicated. i do it all the time. 3 Izzy**


	4. Wellumm

3rd Chapter…

**Chapter Four….**

**This chapter is dedicated to all of my readers (thanks guys!!) not that I have many. But 'the bad speller' thank you. Couldn't send you a reply to your review. That made my morning!! I feel loved!! –Izzy And Chloe Sparks!! Thanks a lot!! I feel loved!! **

When they landed in an alley, they heard protests coming from the front of the clinic. Child like voices, adult voices, and teen voices, all sounding angry.

"Click, click," The adults say.

"Bang, bang," the adolescents sang.

"Check the baby's heart beat!" The children sang. Walking around them, Max opened the glass door. An old man grabbed her wrist, holding her back.

"Do you know what they do when they abort a pregnancy? They-" Iggy, some how knowing the man grabbed her arm, stopped and removed the mans grip.

"Excuse me?" She asked in shock. The man pointed to a sign. It read: free check ups, pregnancy tests, and abortions. "Oh, I'm just getting a test…" She said with feeling. The man smiled at her as she walked in. The first thing she noticed was all the pinks and pastel blues. EW.

The clinic was cozy, had a small lobby and was filled with parents, expecting mothers, and sobbing teenagers. Well, most of the teenagers were sobbing. One girl with cherry red hair and a pretty face sat with a boy with dirty blonde hair and they were smiling. The girl fingered a small ring on her finger. They must have gotten engaged when they found out. Max smiled at every one and sat down in between Iggy and a woman holding a toddler. The little girl in her lap looked to be about two years old and was adorable. She wasn't Angel adorable- she had darker features. Long black hair, big, bright brown eyes; slightly Latino skin.

"What's her name?" Max asked, unable to stop her self. The woman looked up in surprise.

"What? Oh she's Denyesa." The woman smiled, running her fingers through Denyesa's thick hair.

"She's adorable." Max commented. The happy mother nodded.

"Adorable yes; sweet, no. She likes trouble." She laughed.

"Well, aren't most kids like that?" Max asked, remembering Gazzy and Angel at two.

"Yes, I believe they are. I'm Sandra," she smiled.

"I'm Max, and this is my brother Jeff." Max grinned, seeing Iggy choke and hide his laugh.

"Oh, brother? I thought he was your husband. I'm sorry." Sandra giggled, as did Max. Denyesa pointed to the toys and looked up all wide eyed at her mother.

"Pwease? Can I pway Mommy?" She asked, sounding the words out slowly.

"Okay, just don't hurt the little boys." The little girl slid off her mothers lap and teetered to the toy chest in the middle of the room. Max gave Sandra a quizzical look. The little boys looked to be about four years old…"She likes to play rough and likes to protect her toys." Sandra laughed.

"Hmm…sounds like someone I know." Iggy remarked, making Max elbow him smoothly.

"How sweet! Do we have to sign in?" Max asked suddenly, looking at the front desk.

"Only if you've never been here before. They ask what you're allergic to and what not- normal stuff." Sandra smiled encouragingly. Max nodded and walked to the desk.

"Hello, can I help you??" The blonde woman asked pleasantly.

"Uh, yes I need to sign in?" It sounded weak even to her.

"Okay, have you ever been here before?"

"No."

"Alright, take this and fill it out. When you're done, bring it up here and I'll see what we can do." The lady smiled brightly, handing her a clipboard.

Twenty minutes later the clerk called her up. Every one paused, except the men and the babies, to look at her when her name was called. Iggy stayed seated while Max walked up to the door, feeling everyone's eyes on her. As the nurse closed the door, whispers started flying at top speed. '_Oh, well…'_ She thought, shrugging and following the nurse. They came to a room that had a chair in one corner, wall paper with angels on it, and clouds, and a bed that looked comfortable.

"Okay, Miss Ride-"

"It's Mrs. Ride," Max corrected with a smile.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Ride, it says that you're here for a test. Now, we need to know what you plan to do if it's positive. Adoption, you can keep it, or get an abortion. It's your choice." The nurse, Jenny by her name tag, smiled. Adoption was out of the question- the baby may have wings. Abortion…No.

"If it's positive, we'll keep it. Do you do births here?" Max asked, looking around and deciding that she liked it here.

"We have the supplies and the space, but most people got o the hospital or a church." Jenny smiled, but her eyes were slightly sad.

"I like it here. If it's positive, I want to have it here. Do you mind if I ask a question? I know you're the doctor and you're supposed to ask questions, but I'm curious." She smiled.

"Go ahead, you're the patient. Plus, I'm only your nurse." Jenny smiled.

"Okay, well how do you guys afford all of THIS? I mean, because you're a free association, and all." Max finished awkwardly, feeling still dizzier.

"Oh, Mrs. Ride." Jenny giggled. "We get donations all the time. Thank goth or we'd be nowhere!" They laughed for a moment before just staring.

"You can call me Max. So, I come here for check ups and stuff?"

"If it's positive, then yes."

"Let's get this over with then."

Thirty minutes later Max came back out of the room very pale. Her hands were cold, so was her nose. The room got quiet except for the angry shouts from outside. The red haired girl walked up to her with a slight smile.

"You're Max Ride, right?" She asked in a soft voice.

"Uh…yeah." Max replied, still too wary to speak in full sentences.

"Uh, did you ever model for _Sweet Fashion_ magazines? " She asked.

"Yeah, I used to. Why?" Max blushed when every girl in the room GASPED, Sandra included.

"You're the best! We all decided that I would ask if you could sign some things for us."

"Uh…sure…I'm not THAT important, though." Max whispered. She signed twenty five pictures. TWENTY. FIVE. And Denyesa started crying when Sandra started to walk out with her.

"What's wrong?" Max asked, following with Iggy.

"The protesters- they scare her." Sandra whispered, picking the child up. Max's cold fists clenched. She pulled out her badge and walked outside.

"Okay everyone! Clear out! I will arrest if I have to!" She yelled. They got quiet.

"No!" Some one called. They started chanting variations of no. Flipping out her cell phone, she called Adam.

"Max? I thought you were home sick today. What's up?" He asked.

"I need some hand cuffs, and some agents dressed as officers at the clinic on 279 Brushhill court. We have to clear it out. Protestors won't let us out. Woman and their kids are being kept inside." She growled.

"You got it, Max. Three minutes tops. What are you doing at the pregnancy clinic?" She hung up.

"IF you don't move, we'll have to use force!" Max warned. Iggy nodded, and his arms tensed. "Go back in and tell Sandra that it'll be a few minutes, but to wait." She told him. He nodded and backed into the clinic. Right on cue seven white cars pulled up and Adam, Lilly, Jane, Ambra, Kevin, Ben, Dawn, and Bruce got out. They waved to her and rushed up.

"Okay, you want them out?" Bruce asked, flexing his almost over sized muscles.

"Yes, they are keeping those women in the clinic. Their children are scared to come out because of them." Max said, eyes hard and lips set.

"Okay, everyone clear out, or we'll bring you into the station!" Ben called, pulling out his badge and trying not to laugh. _Station? What a joke..._Max thought, shaking her dizzy head.

It took only an hour to clear everyone out. Denyesa had hugged Max around the legs and made her smile so widely it had hurt. Sandra thanked her and they exchanged numbers to keep in touch.

"So, Max, what are you doing here?" Adam asked. Iggy put his hand on Max's shoulder, 'looking' down at her.

"Sorry, Ad-man, I'll, well I've got to go. Thank you- wait! You didn't tell Fang, right?" She gasped, staring at him with wide eyes.

"No, but…should I?" His voice had lowered, he was looking at Iggy speculatively.

"He's looking at me right? I knew it. I'm her brother." Iggy grinned.

"We gotta go, Iggy. Thank you, Adam." Adam smiled at her, eyes warm. She jumped into the air. Iggy turned to Adam.

"It's easy to be protective of her, isn't it?" He asked; Adam nodded.

"Yeah," he said after realizing Iggy was blind.

"Imagine how Fang must feel." He laughed before jumping into the air.

At home Max lay down on the couch and Iggy sat at the edge of the couch, head in his hands. "Max?" He asked, "The test?" He was speaking quietly. Max looked up drowsily, half asleep, but hands still cold and shaking.

"Positive." Her throat was dry, but his hearing caught it.

"I'm gonna be an uncle." He said happily.

"Don't tell Fang. I'll call you after he finds out. Bye, Iggy." She muttered, falling asleep.

ZXXXXXSDALKFJ;LSKACRYPTICMESSAGE,CANYOUSEEIT? ZLJFSLFJDLKFSDFJJFSDF;S

She woke up to someone picking her up, moving her. She blurrily opened her eyes, trying to see who it was.

"Omega?" She asked. Max blinked and was set down.

"Sorry, Maximum. Fang asked me to check up on you." Omega beamed down at her. The only reason he'd actually come to them was because he didn't know how to handle freedom. So Fang and Max set him up with an apartment and a job. Which he kept quite well. No lates what so ever.

"Oh, well I'm-" Omega cut her off.

"Carrying a baby?" He asked quietly. Max shot him a look.

"I was going to say fine, but that's true, too. How do you know?" Max asked, expression confused.

"I do not know. I can just tell. It's going to be a-" Max held her hands up.

"Stop! I don't want to know. Tell me after like six months. That's a…unique…power…skill whatever thingy." She smiled at him and he grinned.

"Okay. I presume you don't want me to tell Fang?" He smiled knowingly.

"I'll tell him. Thank you." She said. Lucifer trotted in and started growling loudly at Omega. The dog jumped on the couch and lay on Max's legs, still growling.

"Okay, well good bye, Maximum. I'll see you soon."

"Bye, 'Mega." She said, falling asleep.

Fang got home at midnight, dropped his keys four times, and had to push Lucifer off of him, not to mention hitting his head multiple times trying to get into the door. He put food in the dog bowl.

"S'okay, boy. Just me. Where's Max, huh?" The dog barked- strangely –towards the living room. On the couch in blankets was Max, fast asleep. He gently picked her up and started carrying her to their room. He brushed her hair out of her face. When he laid her down on the bed, she started muttering, obviously having a nightmare.

"Max, wake up, it's just a dream. Calm down, honey." He shook her slightly and waited while she opened her bright brown eyes. When she saw him, she threw her arms around his neck and clung to him.

"Fang, Fang, Fang." She whispered.

"Max, I thought you were sick." He said, looking around. The bed was still made and none of the curtains were closed.

"I wasn't sick." She said quietly. He picked her up and held her close.

"Really? Well, what's up then?" He asked, something had to be wrong if she doubted her own sickness- she had been throwing up a LOT.

"I'm…prgslnt." She mumbled. Fangs eye brows pulled together. What had she said?

"You're what?" He asked. Max buried her head in his chest. She took a deep and shaky breath.

"I'm pregnant." Time seemed to freeze as he took in the words. Pregnant. With a baby. His baby.

"…Really?" His voice was delighted, but he didn't care. Amazing.

"Yes!" Max said, her face glowing now that she showed him.

"Oh, Max!" He grinned, spinning her around. "For…how long?"

"Probably a few weeks." She shrugged. His hear was racing; old adrenaline rush? No, this was definitely new. "Fang, let's call the flock."

"And your mo- Mom." He smiled at her.

"NO! They'll want to throw a baby shower!" Max gasped, falling onto the bed in mock disgust. Fang should have guessed- her face was glowing. '_Some husband I am…'_ He thought, wrinkling his nose.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX ONE MONTH INTO PREGNANCY XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"C'mon Max, it's cute." Fang said, looking at her stomach. It most certainly was not cute.

"Fang! I have a _baby pouch!_" She cried, falling to her knees.

"Max, it's cute." He pulled her up and kissed her lips.

"But, Fang…" She sniffed. He ducked his head to see her face.

"What? What is it?"

"I'm hungry." She said, all crying stopped. She saw the confusion on his face, but paid no attention. Max was already having mild mood swings and she forever had a craving for food.

"Okay, I'll cook a cake." He offered, taking her hand and leading her to the kitchen.

When Fang had finished the cake and put a piece on her plate, she looked up at him like he was some sort of freak with eight eyes and a bottle nose.

"Dude, I'm going to need more than that." He lifted his eye brow, took her plate and came back with a larger piece. "Thank you." Sh smiled and stabbed her fork into the cake. As she took a bite, a thought crossed her mind.

"Fang, get me the ketchup!!" She said, grinning.

"You're eating chocolate cake." He raised a dark eye brow.

"Don't question me, damn it!" She slammed her hand down on the table. Fang blinked and got the ketchup. (**A/N: please excuse the non-seriousness of the next few COUGHlotsCOUGH chapters.)** Max giggled girlishly and smothered her delicious chocolate cake in the red sauce. (**BTW- I HATE ketchup.) **Fang watched with disgust in his onyx eyes, but he kept his mouth shut.

That night when Fang finally began to fall asleep, he heard Max mumble something. Of course, he began to worry, so he listened- barely conscious.

"Fang?" She whispered, voice unbearably sweet. "Fang?" She repeated. Suddenly she was shaking his shoulder. "Fang?! FANG!!" She growled.

"What?" He grumbled, getting out of bed.

"Well, since your up, could you get me some beef jerky and some Reddi- whip?": She asked sweetly.

"What?" He asked incredulously, though he should have expected it- she'd been eating strange things all day.

"Please?" She begged, crawling on to his side of the bed. She was only wearing one of his longer t-shirts. She looked gorgeous, with her eyes pleading that way it made her hard to say no to.

"Okay, anything else?" He sighed. She shook her head. He gave her a semi-convincing smile and walked to the bathroom. One look in the mirror told him that he wasn't looking as sexy as Max. He had circles under his eyes already; his hear was sticking up in places, and he…He looked fourteen again, only not as skinny or short.

When he got to the store, Fang walked back to the freezer section, looking for the Reddi-whip. His cell phone buzzed and he tensed up.

"Hello?" He answered thickly.

"You should get a lot of Reddi-whip…and possibly twenty four beef jerky's." Max said. He rolled his eyes and took a deep breath.

"Okay, baby, I love you."

"Bring the whipped cream." She hung up.

When Fang got home, Max was sitting in a recliner, tapping her fingers with her left foot under her right. Lucifer lay at her feet. _Traitor…_

"What took you?" She asked very quietly. Fang shrugged, adapting to her mood swings. "I hope you bought extra if you want some- you ain't getting any of mine!" She said, greedily taking the bag. Fang sauntered to the bedroom, then turned back around. He kissed Max's forehead, then headed to the bedroom. He fell on the bed and was asleep before his head hit the pillow.

Fang slept for a full ten minutes, or so it felt like, before Max was waking him up again. "Fang? Fang, I'm cold." She said, and he could feel the shudders going through her. He held perfectly still…until Max's glacial foot touched his leg. He jumped and got out of bed to turn the heat on. He started to get dressed for work, not bothering to go back into the room. He heard the alarm clock go off and groaned. But Max must have turned it off, then got up. She skipped around him, then grabbed the home phone. Fang saw her dial Iggy's number.

"Hi, Iggy. Can you come over?" She asked. "No, Fang has to work and I'm…going to be lonely." She muttered. "Okay! See you soon."

Then she hugged Fang around the waist, snuggling close to him. He sighed and hugged her back. Of course he was excited about getting to be a dad, but Max was…moody, to say the least.

"I'm sorry you didn't get much sleep." She whispered.

"S'okay. Just get some rest and don't go too far. I don't want you to get hurt."

Fang left the house an hour late, but it was okay. At work everyone always asked how Max was doing so he didn't miss much.

"How's her maternity leave treating you?" Adam asked. Fang felt his right eye twitch as he looked up at his boss.

"Don't worry, I had four kids. You'll get used to it." Fang chocked on his Pepsi and his eyes started burning. He looked up at the speaker and saw it was Bruce. Him? With kids?

"You have _kids?_" He asked.

"Yeah, the best thing to do now is to buy a bunch of weird foods and fill your fridge and cabinets. And of course, don't argue or let the fridge get empty. Or close to it."

"Why?" Fang asked, thinking way too hard about this.

"They get strange food urges. Bananas and ice cream in syrup? Or pizza with chocolate sauce?" Bruce asked, raising an eye brow.

"No, first it was cake with ketchup, then it was whipped cream with beef jerky!"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX 2 Months into pregnancy XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"FANG! GET OUT OF THE BATHROOM NOW!" Max yelled, pounding on the door. Fang hurriedly unlocked it and moved. You could tell for sure that she was pregnant now. He almost laughed as he got out of the bathroom. She wouldn't put her own clothes on- she only wear Fang's sweat pants and t-shirts. Personally, he thought it was cute, her having a tiny stomach, but Max seemed to disagree.

"Fang," Max said as he came out of the bathroom, "can you turn the heat up? And I want some parsnips. With ice cream. Lots and lots of parsnips." She said this with a smile as she sat on the couch.

"Okay, Max…but why parsnips?" He asked curiously. When did she ever try parsnips?

"That is none of your concern." She said very quietly.

When he came back Max was asleep on the couch, the TV was on and there was a frosting can in her hand. Fang turned the TV off, turned the heat up with the remote, and took the frosting.

"That is mine." She snapped, grabbing at it.

"Go to sleep, honey." He said. Fang covered her with a small blanket and went to walk away, but Max's serene face made him stop.

"Stay out here." She murmured. So Fang sat down.

Max fell asleep with her head resting on his chest. Then he fell asleep under her. Hopefully she'd start acting normal again. He wondered –vaguely, in his sleep- whether it would be a girl or a boy. And what if the baby had wings? It would be cool to teach her- or him- to fly. Learning had been cool, but teaching was way better.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX MINI-"FAX" ALERT…_Dream state…_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

_Fang- aged eleven- got the hang of flying right away. Iggy had a rough start, but go tit soon enough. Max didn't get it as quickly as she'd liked, but she didn't give up. Long after Jeb and everyone else had gone to sleep, Max was outside trying to teach herself to fly. Fang heard her and appeared behind her on the roof. He'd startled her, making her fall off the roof. He caught her- and got decked in the jaw. _

_  
"You should start on the ground." He'd whispered. She shook her head, laughing._

"How am I supposed to learn from the GROUND? Mother birds kick their kids out to learn how to fly…and Jeb helped you from the roof." She sighed. Fang put his hand on hers.

__

"I learned from the ground." He chuckled. Max shook her head, blonde hair flying from its tie.

_No, you didn't I saw you today, you got it from the roof. Right away, too. It looked ah-mazing." She cried, looking up at him with wide, admiring eyes. He'd felt a burst of pride, though not knowing what it was at the time- it was a first._

_**'Ouch.' **__He'd thought, flinching. 'OOPS.' Fang had reached for her, but she moved away.___

"I didn't mean it that way." He said, dropping his arms.

_What? It's okay, you're a boy and you have a boy best friend. My goth, it's because I'm a girl! Fine." She jumped off the house, landed on her feet, and stalked off towards the forest._

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Fang? Fang, honey, you have to go to work. Maybe you should take some days off." Fang awoke to the bitter smell of coffee. He sat up, looking around. The clock in the wall said 7:45. One hour late.

"Max, you shouldn't drink coffee." He said, rubbing his eyes and stretching his wings. He walked into the kitchen. Max stood in the middle, wearing one of her own shirts and some of his sweat pants. The baby belly was extraordinarily cute. Unbearably cute. He hugged her from behind, loving the way her wings rubbed against his chest.

"Hey, who says you're my doctor?" She asked, pulling away.

"No one, but it's just bad for you." Fang replied, dumping the mug. He looked into the fridge, until Max elbowed him out of the way and bent down, grabbing a stack of food.

"Are you going to cook THAT?" he asked, eyeing it. Most of it was not good plain, or coupled with something.

"I'm cooking eggs and cheese." She sighed. "For you." Obviously; the rest was most likely for her. The pile consisted of chocolate milk, mustard, ham, salami, pretzels, _salt_, and yogurt. Fang hid his disgust and pulled out his cell phone. He dialed the office, waiting. It rang twice before someone answered.

"Hello, Fang. Uh…why don't you take the day off? You know, spend some time with Max?" Adam asked, sounding breathless. In the back ground a younger voice was speaking.

"_Sir! He deserves to know! They're our best-"_

"Hush, Brian. I'll tell them. You just go." Adam snapped.


	5. Not So FangLike

**The Spawn Chapter Five? **

"Tell who what, Adam?" Fang backed out of the kitchen so Max wouldn't get worried.

"Fang, I think I'll tell you when it's over."

"Adam, what are you hiding? Does it have to do with Max?" Fang said quietly, walking into the bonus room and blasting TSO. "It has to do with both of yous. But I'd prefer not to tell you until it's over." Fear washing over him in waves, Fang punched the wall.

"Damn it, Adam! Tell me!" Fang yelled, nerves stretching thinly in about half a second. "Okay, Fang, just don't get too mad. We both know how you get and if you break something you could hurt Max." Adams voice was defeated and tired."I wouldn't-"

"If you break something, it might hit her! I wasn't saying you would hurt her!" Adam defended quickly and loudly. Fang put his thumb and index finger on the bridge of his nose, holding his breath. "Talk. Fast." "There's an assassin that plans on killing you, Max, and the baby. He-"

"Or she." Fang added.

"OR she, must have been sent by someone you've taken down before, someone you've burnt. We don't want yous near the office. Just stay in your house. Fang, just watch over Max. And God damn it, Fang, follow orders!" Adam ordered, hanging up. Breathing heavily, Fang slammed the phone shut, threw it, and leaned against the wall. He turned the radio off and grimaced, looking at the hole he'd made in the wall. After the four days it took for Max to paint it - he was definitely in big trouble.

MMMMMMMMMM MAX MMMMMMMMMMXXXXXXXXXXX

Max put Fangs plate on the table, then ate a bit of her sandwich. The music cut off, which made her uneasy. If he was going to listen to music, he usually opened the door so she could listen too, and he let the whole CD play out.

"Fang, come here!" She yelled suddenly, eyes on the swirling smoke rising from his breakfast. Lucifer sat by her side until she dropped some bacon down to him. Fang walked out, a fake smile plastered on his face.

"I've got the day off. What do you have planned?" Deciding that he was just being weird, Max relaxed and sighed.

"Well, I've got go to the clinic for an end of the month check up, then…Fang I think it's time to tell Mom and Jeb…possibly Hernando." She saw him tense up, then sigh.

"After breakfast? We'll call Iggy to come with us. Then we'll call your parents and buy them a plane ticket." Fang said, sitting beside Max and eating.

"Why call Iggy? Are you scared to check up by yourself?" She teased.

"No." She let it drop, realizing that one- he was scared and two- her parents would be coming _to them._

"Why can't we tell my parents over the phone? They have to stay for the weekend if they come over." She started pouting, remembering that her mother liked to have the heat on during the day.

"You're pouting. Your father -Jeb- probably isn't going to like me much after this. Even though we're married…And I've got a few questions for him…"

"Like what?" Max almost scratched her head in confusion, but stopped herself. Why would he have questions for _Jeb_? Or- better yet- why would Jeb have questions for him?

"Just questions- nothing important. I'm going to call Adam and see if he can send a plane for your parents." Fang got up and grabbed his cell phone.

"Fang Ride sit down and eat your food." Max growled, snatching his phone quickly.

Iggy met them at the clinic with Tally, who had accepted he proposal. "Fang finally decided to come with you? He's finally manning up!" Iggy declared laughing in his face.

"Leave him alone, Iggy. He's had to work!" Max said, taking Fang's hand.

"So have I, but I still find time to come here with you every check up." Fang winced, knowing that it was terrible that he didn't come at all until two and a "half" months in.

"Let's just go inside." Tally suggested, slapping Iggy's shoulder. "Shut your mouth!"

"Max, we were just getting ready to call you! Wow, you've brought quite a crowd this time. Which is the father?" Jenny asked, looking around.

"The bewildered looking brunette." Max laughed, pointing at Fang as they let another four guys and two women around them that they didn't know.

"Ahh, hello, my name is Jenny. Max is going to get an ultrasound first. Just to check." Jenny looked at everyone, as if asking who would go in with her. A few seconds of silence had Max sighing and gripping Fangs wrist tightly.

"Let's go Jen." The room they walked into was dark and full of equipment. Jenny flipped a light on and handed Fang a vest like thing.

"Put it on. Sorry, Max, this is going to be a little cold." Max lay down on the bed, lifting her shirt and showing her stomach. She flinched when Jenny rubbed the clear gel across it. Then she clicked the lights off and clicked a machine with a monitor on. "M'Kay, Fang, watch the screen." Fang looked at the monitor curiously, watching intently. What should he be seeing?… And then the blank black screen changed. A bit of white and gray and what looked like…

Max yelped when Fang hit the floor with a thud. She leaned over, looking down. He looked to be out cold, bringing back memories of when they were fourteen. "Jack, we've got a fainter. He needs a wheel chair and maybe an ice back." Jenny said into speaker. "I thought you said he was a tough guy, Max." Jenny giggled.

"He is, he's just under a lot of stress. Plus, you don't know a man until you dump a job, a wife, and a kid on him."

After the check up, Max helped Iggy get Fang into a wheel chair, the pushed it outside. The sun was out, but there was a light chill. Tally kept asking questions.

"And lastly- how in the _hell_ did Fang faint?"

"Well, right when Jen turned the ultrasound on, his head hit the floor. I don't think he made a sound- so un-Fang like." She waved her head around, pushing Fang down the sidewalk. He groaned, looking up at her.

"Why does my head hurt?"

"You fainted, tough guy." Iggy laughed, holding Tally's hand.

"Max stop the wheel chair." Fang sighed, trying to stand up. "

M'Kay, why though?" Fang sighed and walked around the wheel chair.

"Because, you're pregnant, not me." He said, picking her up and setting her in the chair.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX 3 MONTHS XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Max shook her head vigorously, looking close to tears. Fang sighed again, coming up behind her. The assassin was still planning supposedly, so they were both home bound.

"What?" He asked, putting a hand on her stomach. You could so tell that she was pregnant- the thought must have caused this small tantrum…or the basket of maternity clothes. Max had managed to talk Fang out of calling Jeb and Valencia, but it seemed like they finally found out.

"They…they…" Max stuttered as Fang picked the basket up and set it on the kitchen table. She unwrapped the pink- translucent paper and held up a shirt. It was pink and had flowers all over it.

"It's cute Max." How many times had he said that in the past three months?

"It's evil. I won't wear it." She said, tears in her sparkling brown eyes. "You'll hurt Moms feelings." Fang said, trying to persuade her to put it on.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX One Hour Later XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"I don't see why we have to meet them at a hotel." Max grumbled, crossing her arms. Fang had managed to get her into the out fit and the car to meet Hernando and her parents. The black car they were riding in was quiet, but fast, too. Max had a bag of food with them and had to stop TWICE to go to the bathroom.

When they pulled up to the hotel, Jeb was waiting out side with Valencia, looking oblivious. Obviously, what ever she knew, he didn't. "I don't see why I had to come." Iggy growled from the back seat.

"Because you're awesome. And if you want Bartholomew to be your godson, you'll cooperate." Max growled with just as much force. They still didn't know for sure if the baby was a boy or a girl, but Max was convinced that it was a boy. So when ever referring to the baby, she used random boy names. Iggy mumbled something unintelligible from the back seat. Fang opened Max's door with a smile, taking her hand. She couldn't help but smile back as she climbed out, pecking him lightly on the lips.

"Max! I've missed you sweetie!" Valencia ran up, touching Max's stomach randomly a few times. "

Hi, Mom, I've missed you, too." She smiled, taking it graciously. Jeb came up, smiling and still being the biggest man ever. Would a man notice his twenty three year old daughter is pregnant? _Nahhh… _

"I see you're wearing the shirt!" Valencia grinned, not letting go of her.

"What's so special about it? Besides the fact that it's the only pink Max has worn in a few months." Jeb laughed, looking around. Nervous laughter erupted from everyone but Max.

"How about we go upstairs?"

In the hotel room, Hernando was watching TV with Ella. When everyone walked in, he jumped up, giving hugs and saying hello's.

"Everyone, you'd better take a seat…I've got- actually Fang and I've got some big news." Max said, holding Fang's hand. Iggy- in the back of the room and ready to hold Hernando or Jeb down- gave the lamp a thumbs up. "Your turn Fang." Max muttered, shouldering him forward. Mom was bouncing excitedly. He grunted, looking back at her.

"Well…Max is kind of…"

"MAX IS PREGNANT!" Mom yelled, jumping up and rushing towards her. Jeb and Hernando just stared, not quite able to grasp the concept.

"Now we have to have a baby shower!" Valencia said, squealing and taking Max's hand. Fang just smiled a little, watching Max clench her fists. Something glinted outside the window, it caught Fangs attention. Turning Jeb and Hernando's angry babbling out, he man swerved over to the window.

"I don't _care_ that he won't listen to you, Jeb the genius who mutated his own kids! And Hernando, the Himalayan monkey!" The only voice Fang wouldn't block out yelled, making him spin around.

"Like I was saying- what?" Jeb asked, seeing Fangs semi-panicked expression.

"Everyone get down!" Fang yelled, gently pushing Max under him. _**KABOOM!!**_ They were thrown into a wall, Fang curling himself protectively over Max. Something flew at his and knocked him out.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX FDSJFLKXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

When she opened her eyes, Max saw only white lights. Then slowly everything started coming into focus. Fang in a chair with his arms strapped down and muscles tensed. The cage around her, the chains around her wrists. She was laying on her back and on a metal slab table.

The cage was just metal bars set up on top of the slab. It was certainly larger than the cages at the School. Two people walked in, a man and a woman. They kneeled in front of Fang.

"Are you ready to talk? Or do we have to put your pretty wife in the chair?" The man asked.

"NO! Don't touch her!" Fang growled, pulling at his restraints.

"Then tell us- where are they keeping this Ramón?" Fang shook his head, jaw clenched. The girl pushed a yellow button on the wall, causing Fang to tense up again. _'_

_That's an electric chair…'_ Max thought dazedly and gasping. Three sets of eyes turned and focused on her. Fang shook his head slightly, mouthing 'no.' She stiffened as they walked towards her.

"Well, hello pretty girl. Just be a good little girl and tell us where TSSC is hiding Ramón?"

"I honestly don't know- but I wouldn't tell you if I did." The woman pressed a green button, and sudden pain surged through her entire body. She cried out, grasping her stomach.

_"Stop! Leave her out of this! She doesn't know!" _Fang yelled, struggling harder. Max watched him blurrily, eyes filled with tears as she cried out in pain. The chains around her wrists melted away, her hands a shining blue. Tears streaming down her face, pain streaking through her body, and Fang yelled like a banshee, Max still had strength to be curious about that.

"I'll tell you! _Just stop!"_ Fang yelled, voice shaking. The pain subsided, but her entire body throbbed. Max collapsed onto the table, breathing heavily.

"Good." The man said, sauntering over to Fang.

"Lucky your man gave up. We'll gladly kill you." The girlish voice shocked Max, but her entire body was too tired to move.

"Lucky…my…man … is …chained up…" Max mumbled, wincing when her tingling limps moved.

"Don't get mouthy, Maximum. And don't have that fish look either. Do you really think we didn't-"

"Bryn! Get over here!" The man said; Bryn jumped and walked over to him.

"He's in Hackettstown New Jersey. Two eight seven Shackle bolt Road." Fang said, head down and dark hair over his face. Max jerked very slightly. That was not where they hid Ramón Delarosa over five months ago. '_Thanks a lot, Fang.'_

"Now, Fang, how many other officers do you think we asked and how many of them do you think gave us that answer? That's okay, though. As I recall, if you put a pregnant mother under a lot of pressure, the baby will be still born. Let's test this theory." Fang tensed up, gaze shifting to Max. Bryn, and Jackson- she recalled suddenly- walked over to her, pressing the green button of death again. Pain ripped through her again, eyes watering. Vaguely she heard Fang cursing them out. The pain increased. She couldn't even think of words to describe how it felt.

"Get. Away." Max said steadily, hand motioning to them. They flew back, heads slamming into the far wall. Then the cage flew off of her. She jumped down, collapsing when her feet hit the floor.

"MAX!" Fang yelled, pulling hard at the restraints.

"I'm…fine…just tired." She gasped, getting to her hands and knees. She tried steadying her breath, though the task was harder than it sounded. She crawled slowly over to Fang, trying to unhook the leather restraints. When she looked at his face, she gaped. His eyes were filled with tears, body shaking. He was so close to crying that it literally, almost physically, hurt Max to look at him. "What's wrong, Fang?" She asked as she un-strapped him.

"I thought- they were- going to kill you." He said, voice week, sad, and choked. He fell to his knees when he was free, pulling Max into his burnt arms. A though occurred to Max, now that the immediate danger was gone. "How did you get out?" Fang was whispering, face buried in her neck.

"That wasn't me- it was him." She said, trying to use a strong voice- one that would allow Fang to know she was okay. Her limbs were tired, in pain, and tingling, but being with Fang soothed her.

"What?" He murmured, "the baby? But…"

"He's tough already, just like his Daddy." She kissed his cheeks, urging him and herself to their feet. "Do you know how long we've been here?"

"Twelve hours maybe??" He looked at his watch. "No, only seven. Feels like twelve." Slowly Max could see Fang getting a hold of himself.

"Jeb, Mom?" She asked, fear seeping through her. Fangs arms tightened around her.

"I don't know. We have to get out of here, first, then find them. Those idiots didn't search us, and I've got some plastique on me. Can you fly?" Max threw open her wings, testing them. Like her legs, her wings seemed to have gotten ready for the extra weight.

"Yes. How do we know they are here- oh. They would've used them against us, right?"

"You are getting better." Fang kissed her forehead and set the plastique. "Go." He took her by the hand and kicked the door open. Outside was a straight drop off to what seemed like oblivion. Max gulped, but Fang leapt off first, a beautiful dark angel waiting for her. She jumped too, hoping her wings could withstand the weight.

"Got it. Where to?" Max asked, having a mild mood swing.

"Uh…go to the nearest hospital. Was it-"

"Let's go, we both know where it is." She said, flying faster. When they were about thirty feet away, an explosion followed them. A sigh flew from her lips as she was relieved. At the hospital, Fang flashed his badge and asked for Valencia Martinez or Jeb Batchelder. They were sent to room One twenty for Valencia, but were told that Jeb was in surgery. Hernando was waiting with Mom.

"Mom, are you okay?!" Max asked, rushing to her side.

"Max, I'm fine. Go find your father, okay? He's not gonna make it." The words slammed into Max's heart one at a time, with enough force to stop her heart one time per word. Fang could see this hurt her.

"C'mon, he should be out of surgery now." Fang led her down the hall, rubbing hands. "It's okay, Max. He's gonna make it." But from Jebs condition, it seemed like this was going to be a lie. Jeb was gasping, covered in blood, and conscious.

"Dad!" Max cried, rushing to his side.

"Since when…am…I…Dad?" He joked.

"Stop joking! You cannot die! I want you to see our baby!" She cried louder as Fang fended off the doctors. Jeb smiled.

"I've seen him already. He's beautiful. Freedom. Fang, he's just like you." Jeb coughed up blood. Max was crying, trying to calm down. Fang was shocked, to say the least.

"Dad, if you leave, I'll never forgive you!" Max yelled, watching the old mans face.

"You will, honey. I've seen it all. Kiss him for me, Maximum."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX NEXT DAY XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

_Jeb Andrew Batchelder died at age 51 on May 28__th__, 2:16 AM. He has a daughter, Max Ride, a son-in-law, and an unborn grandchild. He was preceded in death by his seven year old son, Ari Leon Batchelder. The causing of death was not revealed, but he lies peacefully in the New York National Scientists Honorable Grave site. He was a favorable scientist who did great things for everyone. His funeral will be held at Swan Funeral Homes. Flowers will be greatly appreciated. _

Max threw the paper down, having read Jebs obituary. She wiped her face and turned to her mother.

"Sorry you can't stay longer. I'll see you in a few weeks. Love yous." She mumbled, kissing her cheek and hugging Ella, who hadn't said a word.

"Bye, sweetie. I love you too. Ella wants to visit again soon, so don't be so sad." Hernando just hugged Max and left. Fang walked in from walking Lucifer.

"Are you okay?" He asked, unleashing the dog. He seemed to know it was not the time for playing, for he lay down, watching with sad eyes.

"Fang, I was just getting used to him- trusting him. Then he dies?!" Max's body was shaking from her crying as she lay her head on his chest. "Will he ever forgive me? I was so bad to him for so many years and he died before he saw his grand kid!"

"He saw him, you heard what Jeb said. Of course he'll forgive you- you're his daughter. After all of this he still loves you. And he doesn't hate me as much." Someone knocked on the door quietly. "Come in." Fang said, tensing. Angel, Gazzy, Nudge, Iggy, and Tally rushed in, all hugging them at once.

"Oh, Max! It's okay! I'm so sorry!" Fifteen and a half year old Angel cried, pulling her away from Fang. Nudge was speaking so rapidly that no one even tried to listen. Tally didn't say a word, along with Iggy. Gazzy spoke quietly to Fang.

"I don't know, but he told me 'yes' was the answer to your question." Gazzy muttered, twisting his hands together. Fang was stunned as Gazzy's eyes turned back to their normal color.

"How did you…what were you doing?"

"I don't know. I just saw a soul-spirit-whatever and it sounded like Jeb. He told me to tell you yes." Gazzy shrugged, looking at Max. She was obviously trying not to cry, though Fang could see the need to be alone on her face.

"Guys, let's go into the living room, okay?" Fang suggested, steering Angel and Nudge away while Tally and Iggy followed separately. Gazzy stayed behind, hugging Max's bulging stomach and whispering something to it. "Here's the remote- watch what you want for now." Fang said, hurrying back to Max. He got her to their room just as she broke down. She sobbed, shaking and sniffling. Fang shushed her, rubbing her back, and held her, but the only thing he couldn't do was the one thing she wanted him to do. Bring Jeb back. "Do you want me to leave?" Fang asked, wiping her eyes.

"Yes…no…I don't know!" She clung to him again, crying harder. The, in her usual pregnant fashion, Max had a mood swing. "That _asshole! _How could he leave like this?! How could he leave me like this! Right before the babies born! JERK!" Max jumped to her feet, punching wide, four foot deep hole in the wall.

"Max?!" Fang asked, alarmed.

"It wasn't all me." She growled, still angry. Fang sighed, waiting for the storm pass. "How…why would he do this? Right when I was getting used to having him around. Twice…he's been dead to me twice…" Max fell to her knees, crying again. Figuring it was safe, Fang picked her up and lay her on the King sized bed.

"Get some sleep honey. Omega wants to come over tomorrow, for the…" he trailed off, scared of what the word funeral might do to Max…and the house.

"Funeral? Okay. Right. I'll get sleep. And…I'm sorry, Fang." she said in a small voice. That made him go back to her.

"For what?"

"I just know I haven't been acting like myself lately and that you're under a lot of stress- what with our jobs?!- and I've been very demanding. I'm sorry. I love you so much." She was crying quietly, face in his chest and wings slightly extended.

"No, baby, no. Don't be sorry. This is my job- making sure you are comfortable. You're giving me enough- I get to be a daddy! It's my personal and life long job to take care of you." He kissed each of her closed eyes and lay down with her. "Now go to sleep." Max nodded, yawning through her tears that were slowly subsiding.

Quietly, Fang closed the door. It took about an hour to get Max to sleep, so Omega might have called a few times…

"Quiet, he's coming! No, only Fang's gonna know!" Tally whispered loudly.

"Only I'm gonna know what?" Fang asked, head down. Iggy, Tally, Nudge, Gazzy, Angel…Omega?

"The gender of your kid." Tally said in an excited voice.

"Quiet! Max is sleeping! Her dad just died, so she's really depressed. Maybe she can come to work with me some day. That'll make her feel better! Yeah, and-"

"Okay, Nudge." Fang said tiredly. She didn't look insulted, only slightly worried and a lot excited. "Why are you standing like that?" They were blocking the door of Max and Fangs third guest room (they got the big pent house in case the flock ever needed a place to stay).

"Look." They all moved out of the way, revealing a sky blue door. Omega grinned, opening the door. Fang sighed, ran a hand through his almost too long black hair and went in. The carpet was new and soft, the walls a light but somehow boyish blue. There was a rocking chair in the corner and by it was a stack of blankets, blue, green, and red. Above all of that on the wall was a hand made wooden shelf holding a silver picture frame that said _My First Year_ and had labeled picture holes: _Birth, Month One, Month Two, _etc, up until one year. By the window was a book shelf; the highest shelves were filled with nursery rhymes, bed time songs/ stories, and loads of Dr. Sues books. On the bottom two shelves were loads of stuffed animals. On the wall closest to the door was a crib with a small, wing shaped nightlight above it. The walls, now that he looked had clouds painted everywhere and a large set of wings painted on the ceiling. One white with brown speckles, one black.

Slowly, tears filled Fangs eyes. _Damn it…_

"Wow guys…When did yous do this? It's…amazing." Fang choked, for the second or third time in his life holding back tears with all his might.

"He likes it!" "We did the arranging. Omega is an excellent artist; quick, too." Tally said, kissing Iggy's cheek. "Iggy suggested the books, considering neither of yous were ever good at stories."

"Thanks bro. You know us well." Fang man-hugged Iggy, backed away, then paused. "Wait." Everyone saw-with a few giggles- that he was finally understanding this. "I'm gonna have a boy?!"

"Technically, Max is going to got through the labor, but yes, your sp-"

"You're wife is having a boy!" Tally interrupted Omega, glaring at him. The giddiness in Fangs stomach was remind him of the first time Max kissed him, the first time they both agreed on a kiss, the first time he realized that he was a love sick hybrid, the first time Max yelled that she loved him; when Max said 'I do' two years ago; and when she told him she was pregnant. He wanted to yell out loud, to laugh, to cry in joy, wanted to dance around like an idiot, like the dork that he really was, like he wanted to with everything else.

"Really?" He asked in a voice that wasn't anything like his normal voice. It was more of an excited, unmanly squeak. '_Who cares?'_ He thought, grinning madly. His power was halted because he couldn't stop moving, like someone had just shot him up with four cups of pure caffeine. Gazzy raised an eye brow.

"Wow, Fang…you sure aren't acting like Max's dad just died…" Angel punched him in the arm. (Like Max would have, instead of smacking him in the face like most other girls)

"I cannot believe you just said that!" She'd obviously just seen all of those things that flashed through his minds eye.

"Honestly, I know I should be sad…but I'm going to have a boy." The grin didn't fade.

"And me and Iggy decided to wait on our wedding until he's born."

"You know what that means Fang." Nudge grinned in an ominous way.

"No…what?"

"You have to give Max a baby shower now. Or in two months. Yeah, in two months." Fang just nodded, too enthralled with this news.

"By the way, you'd better get lots of pictures- I never come over." Angel sighed with a pout.

"You can come over when ever you want. Max is just really moody right now. I wouldn't suggest it." Fang smiled. Omega and Iggy pulled Fang away from the babbling girls.

"Omega wants to tell you something." Iggy sighed.

"Fang, do not let Maximum plan the funeral. You do it. And you should make it closed casket." He said nervously. Fang nodded. "Now I have to go to work. Tell Maximum that I said hello. And take pictures of her face when she sees the room." Iggy turned to grin at Fang.

"Now, wanna go flying?" He asked. Fang nodded. Iggy had always been Fangs second best friend. Not as easy to talk to as Max, but comforting to have around. They took off from the roof, wheeling around the building for a bit in silence. Something was wrong with Iggy.

"What's wrong?" Fang asked casually, doing a flip in the air that he and Max had perfected when they were seventeen.

"You're not gonna like, not let us see your son, right? I…I want to be part of his child hood, too. Max is basically my sister and I want to watch him grow up, too. Like I want to spoil him and goth knows Tally wants to see him too. And I'm already nervous about getting married." Iggy just has this gift about being subtle. "And how am I supposed to know what to do if Tally wants to have kids? And-"

"Ig, dude, calm down! You act like I'm gonna keep you from seeing your nephew! Calm down. The getting married is easy. Being married is a bit hard, but you'll love it. Plus you've still got five and a half months." Iggy blushed and landed.

"Right now, the only thing we really have to worry about is convincing Max not to kill us when we do that baby shower." Fang whispered as they went inside. Apparently the others had raided the kitchen and were all asleep in the living room.

"Right. Gotcha. Thanks, bro," Iggy smiled and went to Tally.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX 6TH MONTH XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

_You have been invited to Pierre Johnisson's 4__th__ of July Bash. Formal dress. You may bring three guests. _

_Thank you. _

-_Pierre_

_Ps- hey Max, honey_

Max looked up at Fang. He smiled slightly, hoping THIS didn't bring another round of hysteria. Now you could tell for sure that she's pregnant, from like a block away. "Can we go? We can bring Iggy and Tally- they love fire." Max smiled brightly. Fang exhaled in relief.

"Iggy will probably be working there, honey. He's a pyro-tech., with Gazzy. And Tally is still a model, remember?" Max's face fell a little. "But we can bring Nudge and Angel." He added with a hopeful smile. He didn't like the way she looked sad.

"Oh, yeah! Let's!"

"When is it?"

"…Fang…today, today is the fourth. The party is tonight. Aren't you keeping track of time? He's due in four months."

"Right. Lost track of time. Right." Fangs face was pale- though some how still a little olive- and he was unfocused. Max put her hands on his face.

"Calm down, Fang. We've got four whole months. Breathe, honey." She said. _'How's he gonna react when we've got four days?'_ She thought worriedly. Fang was breathing too heavily, hyperventilating. "Fang!" She snapped, patting his face gently. He shook his head and smiled, then leaned down and kissed her lips.

"Sorry, Max. We'd better go call Nudge and Angel. And get you a dress." Max nodded, then leaned up and wrapped her arms around Fangs neck. She kissed him slowly, almost feeling guilty about all of the stress she could feel in his shoulders. He wrapped his arms lightly around her back. The baby belly between them felt unbearably sweet. He rubbed between her wings and she massaged gently on his wings where all of the stress would be carried. Max sighed and pulled back.

"Tense, much?" She whispered, leaning her head on his shoulder.

"No…" Max snorted. "A little." Fang admitted.

"A lot. Alright, let's go…" She kissed his cheek and walked towards the door.

The dress Max got was light blue and showed her wings. It also made the pregnant stomach look actually good. Fang wore a black suit and shirt, opened a little at the top. Nudge wore a baby pink dress with no straps and Angel, at age fifteen, wore an innocent (yeah right) strapless red dress with a slit up the side. Her curls glistened dangerously and her heels clacked loudly.

"I feel like a whale." Max complained. Fang put an arm around her as he led her to the huge party mansion that was Pierre's.

"You look like the most beautiful thing I've ever seen." Pierre greeted them at the door.

"Max! Why didn't you tell me you were carrying Mr. Smexies baby?!" He exclaimed. "And why am I not hearing details about a baby shower!?" Fang yanked him to the side roughly.

"NO! Sh. Can you help us plan a surprise baby shower for her? You know Max, she doesn't like big things!"

"Oh, sure, sure." Pierre smiled, winked, and went back by the girls.

"Fang Ride, you'd better have been telling him that we aren't having a baby shower or so-help-me-God you will be sleeping outside with your head up your ass and your wings hung from the Empire State Building, do I make my self clear?" Max growled as they followed Pierre through the loud hall.

"Crystal." Fang replied with a smirk and a glance at Angel and Nudge. They smiled and escaped into a crowd of people.

"Hey, Max, wow you look great! When are you due?" A tall brunette asked sweetly.

"Four months." Max grinned. Fang shifted uncomfortably.

"It's a boy, I'm guessing?"

"How'd you know?" Max asked, eyes wide.

"My mom taught me a trick- if your stomach is up high when your pregnant, ninety nine percent of the time it's a girl. When the stomach is down low, it's mostly going to be a boy." The woman smiled brightly.

"That's amazing. How did your mom figure that out?"

"Well, she's a doctor and she's had five kids!" She laughed. "Oh, you must be her husband! I'm Tora." She stuck her hand out.

"I'm…Fang, nice to meet you." He shook her hand warily.

"So, do you guys know what you're going to name it yet?"

"No…actually not. We've been busy. Plus, we've got four WHOLE months. Fang, honey, why don't you go get us something to drink…and eat."

"You said you weren't hungry outside-"

"Well I'm hungry now!" Max snapped. '_Okay, moving along._' Fang thought. "Sorry about that. I just didn't want to give him more to think about. He's been so stressed lately and…" Her voice was drowned out by the music and steady babble of other people. They greeted Fang freely like they knew him.

"Hey, Fang, how's Max?"

"Fine, I guess…"

"S'up, Fang? Enjoying your time off?"

"Sure…"

Finally he just went outside, hoping Max would forgive him. Only four months until he would actually be a dad. Daddy. A father. What if he was a bad father? How would he know how to take care of a baby? To hold a baby or to feed it or to-

"Fang, it's going to be okay." Angels voice said. "Why panic now? You should panic when it's four hours until he's born. You'll be a great father. You took care of me and Gazzy just fine."

"Max did that…and yous weren't new borns."

"You'll know what to do. Max will help you. She's always there, isn't she?"

"Yeah, but--"

"Are you saying that Max won't help you?" Angel challenged.

"NO. What I am saying is that Max is going to need a break eventually, and I'll have to take care of him!" Fang said, standing up. Angel stood too.

"Fang." She snapped, teenage side showing. "Be. A. Man." She said.

"I am!" He said defensively. "I just don't think I can--" Angel cut him off by smacking him hard across the face, making an noisy _**clap**_! Fang just stood there for a second, before looking at her. "You're right. I needed that." She walked away stiffly while people stared.

Fang went back by Max, forgetting her food. Her wrath was merely a kiss on his left cheek, which was still stinging. They all - the whole party - gathered out side by the pyro-techs in uniform. Fang was right- they were there.

"Gazzy, you look so cute in uniform!" Angel giggled, hugging her seventeen year old brother.

"Um…thanks…" he said awkwardly. Then his eyes narrowed. "Isn't that dress a little revealing?" Nudge cut in.

"No way!" squealed the twenty year old, her straight brown hair shining. "It's gorgeous!" Tally was beside Iggy.

"You look great Max! You too, Fang." She smiled, though looking worried. She pulled Max off to the side. "What's wrong with him?"

"He's a little…shaken…Getting freaked out by the date.."

"How? You've got four months!"

"I know, but…" Max trailed off, looking back at Fang. His face was still pale- except the darker spot, courtesy of Angel- his eyes had dark circles under them, and he was tense…again….


	6. Not Exactly

**It's been a while and I know this isn't a lot, but hey, I tried. I might have more if I get on the ball with writing it first. Yous should push more! Lmao just kidding, I think. But I am working on so many stories now. If you're getting bored, why don't you go read some of my other stories? Asylum, Reality, Something with a d…erm, I can't remember that one. Just be happy with what you got and please, please leave a review. I hate getting like twenty million hits and just like twelve reviews. So thanks. BTW- if you want to use any of my ideas, pretty please ask, I won't be mean! I swear!! =] yeah this isn't a lot, so don't hate me. And I screwed up the last chapter. **_**It was supposed to be the fifth month. August is the sixth month she's preg. Kay? Thanks and excuse the mess up. =] **_

"He'll be fine, Max. He was just a little surprised. By the time he actually needs to be worried, he'll be used to it." Tally gave her almost-sister-in-law a hug. "Don't worry about him. From what I've heard, Fang's pretty tough." Max nodded slightly. They walked back over to the boys and smiled; Fang wrapped an arm around Max's waist, looking a little more relaxed. She kissed under his jaw.

"Here guys, I figure since our ears are so sensitive…" Iggy blindly **(ha-ha…)** handed them all a pair of ear plugs. Max put hers in, then winced. It was scary without a good sense of hearing. "Okay, we gotta go. Bye guys." Iggy discretely kissed Tally's lips and walked off. He paused. "Gaz, come _on."_ Gazzy, who was previously growling at some guys who were hitting on Angel, followed him. "I hope they're careful…" Max and Tally said at the same time. They laughed. "Fang, did you have a specific time you wanted to go home?" Max whispered in his ear, leaning on his shoulder. "When you get too tired, we'll go." He murmured to her. "Kay." **… … … … … … … **

They sat for another two hours, but left when A) someone offered Angel a drink, and B) Max started nodding off. Nudge was complaining, but she looked tired, too. She got four boys phone numbers. Max was lecturing her about being careful who she spoke to. "Max, she was practically raised by you. She'll be fine." Fang assured as they dropped the two off. Angel was staying with Nudge. "Fine. It's not gonna be me who has to deal with her boyfriends- it's you and Iggy. But if- Damn!! Go back!" "Why?" He asked in alarm."I didn't give Nudge the date rape speech!" She exclaimed, trying to get him to stop. "Max calm down. We have a three hour drive. Lay back and rest. We won't get home until four and it's not healthy for you to lose so much sleep." He scolded, turning right. Max started to argue, but was surprised to find the baby kick. She put Fang's hand on her stomach, watching his face when the baby kicked. First it paled, then it broke out into a very beautiful smile. "Wow, that's so cool." "That's great!" Fang felt guilty. Max was so excited about being a parent, and here he was ruining her joy. Besides, he should be happy, too. She wouldn't go to sleep, so by 3 AM, he noticed her face- sad, confused and a little guilty. "Max, what's the matter?" Her face cleared, as she tried to hide it, but eventually she sighed. "I…I was wondering if I can do this. If I can have a child and know how to take care of it. I don't want to screw this up." Fang pulled the car to the shoulder and looked at her. "Max…I…I've been wondering the same thing." She flinched. "No, honey, about me. I have no doubt in your ability to do this. It's me I'm worried about." "Why? You helped with Angel and Gazzy…and Nudge, for goth sakes! How can you doubt yourself?" "Well, we're first time parents. We don't know what kind of parents we are. Not yet." He kissed her gently. "Now go to sleep. We'll be home by four. One hour." She nodded and layback, only to sit up and glare.

"We have to stop, now. I have to go to the bathroom.""_Now?_" "Right _now._" She growled. Fang fell silent and pulled into a Waffle House restaurant, got out, and followed her in. "Welcome to the Waffle How-" The woman was pushed roughly to the ground as Max shoved her way to the bathroom. Fang helped her up. "Excuse her. She's…"

"I know." The woman smiled."Erm, yeah."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXX August XXXXXX 6 MONTHS ZZZXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Hey Fang, do you wanna watch the wedding videos with us?" Max called to Fang, who was cleaning out their closet. "Uh…" Tally made a loud noise from the living room. Nudge giggled. "Stop being such a prude!" Angel called. Fang sighed. "I've really got to-"

"Fang, you're being a jerk!" Ella made the word sound like 'jeeerrrkkk.'

"Just watch them al-""Fang, you're going to make Max cry." Valencia announced. "I'm coming, I'm coming." He grabbed the two bowls off the dining room table- one full of popcorn, one full of random chocolates. He pulled Max into his lap as he sat in the black recliner.

"This is one of the ones that Tally recorded." It started with Max panicking about which dress to wear. Fang cracked a smile. N The next one was one of the ones Gazzy recorded, of Fang picking a tux. He was so clumsy with nerves that the shop owner thought _he_ was the disabled one, not Iggy. Then one of Max getting ready; Fangs face got red when it showed Gazzy's DVD of him panicking in the dressing room. Max kissed his cheek.

"Look at your face, Fang! We've never seen a look like _that_!" Nudge exclaimed, throwing popcorn at him. Lucifer barked and ate it off the floor.

"You look like you're about to pee your pants, Nudge. Don't talk to me about my face," he teased. "You look ready to cry, right there." Ella remarked, pausing it where Max paused in the 'I Do's.

"So do you." Max commented. "Wait, Ella you _are_ crying!" Ella blushed.

"No, I'm not." "Yes, you are. Look." Max zoomed in, then moved the screen to Ella's face. She was crying. "Okay, Maybe I was crying. So what?""Oh, nothing." Max grinned and relaxed into Fang's lap. "Press play!" The camera was suddenly aimed downwards. "Iggy, don't let Max or Fang see, come on!" Gazzy's voice said, slightly muffled. Iggy appeared, and everyone in the real world titled their heads to the side. The camera was outside, then, and the sky was bright. "Max, Fang, we know you probably won't see these for awhile, so when you do, you're welcome to scold us then!" Iggy laughed, moved, and pressed a button. The sky exploded with colors. _Max & Fang Ride - October 31__st__ ! _Gazzy came onto the screen then.

"Just hold the camera like that, right there." He told Iggy. "And now…something we talked about a long time ago!" Tally was giggling madly. Max looked over at her curiously. "I…f-forgot a-about…that…" she said between giggles. On the TV she appeared. "Guys, when will this paint come off?" Tally asked.

"Four weeks. Come on!" The camera was propped up on something as the three of them did acrobats in the air, dumping, spraying and leaving behind trails of neon orange, lime green, and bright red. They spelled 'WE LOVE YOU, Max AND FANG! CONGRATS!" Max was crying and laughing as she watched. "We did have a conversation about that…before Angel dropped Total." "Oh, I remember that!" Nudge squealed. "No, Fang or Iggy dropped Total. I tried to catch him." Angel sniffed. Mom laughed. "Was this before or after you met Omega?" She asked.

"Before." Max and Fang said in unison.

"We went to real school for a while before that…" Max recalled.

"And Fang was making out with that red headed bitch." "Angel!" Max and Valencia scolded. "Oh please, Max, you were thinking it. Fang's thinking about how Sam was a dic-"

"Angel!" They scolded again. She grinned a sly grin and turned to Nudge. "Personally, I liked Sam. He wasn't mean like Lissa. Though, I think that Max and Fang make a better couple. I mean, who wants to say 'Sax' in public? Fax is way cuter." Angel smiled and Nudge was giggling.

"Well, personally, I don't like either of them. Now let's watch Mom's DVD." Max sighed, trying to get comfortable. Fang kissed her neck and let the DVD's switch.

The camera was going around, focusing on each group of faces it went by, so that everyone would be remembered. Max paused it on a certain group of people. "Wait a sec. Who is that?" She asked, standing up. She tapped a mans face behind JJ- Max's old friend. Fang stood, too, walking to their huge television."I don't know…Angel? Nudge, Ella? You were in charge of the guest list." He said. Nudge shook her head."No idea. I didn't invite him." "Me either." Angel said."Not me," Ella said, shaking her head.

"Mom?""No, I don't think any of us know him." Valencia said, eyes worried. Fang immediately opened his wings a little, so that it touched Max's arm."I'll be right back. Gimme that DVD." The player opened and he snatched it, running to the bonus room. If he wanted to, _really_ wanted to, he could get files on this guy that were so accurate that he'd know every time he took a step. He put the DVD in the computer and waited. He fast forwarded and paused, then zoomed in. Then he opened his phone and called Adam.

"You're not coming back to work," is how he answered.

"No, I'm not. Can you pull up a file on this man?" Fang asked, taking a quick picture and sending it.

"Do you have a name?" He heard Adam typing commands."No." "Fang, is this really important.""He was at our wedding. No one knew him." Adam let out a slight gasp."He was- well you arrested him and his wife, too. For attempted assassination. He was crazy." "Why was?""He escaped seven months ago. We can't find him anywhere. His name is Jonathan Morge. How ironic. We've got agents all over the world looking for him." "He's the one looking for us." Fang said with sincerity. His face was pale and cold.

"How do you know?" Adam demanded. "It's just one of those things you just know, just sense." Fang said quietly."Do not leave your house." Adam hung up. A choking whimper came from the door. Fang whipped around, dropping his phone. Max was holding her stomach and the door frame, her breathing labored. "Max!" He was at her side swiftly, back and jaw tensed. "I'm fine. Just got really stressed, really fast." She whispered, hugging Fang. She was shaking."Don't be stressed. Calm down. We're safe. You're safe." He said softly. "Are you gonna tell me what's going on?" She asked quietly. "I think it'd be better if-""Fang." Max put her hands on her hips, scowling."We identified the…man that's been hunting for us. His name is Jonathan Morge. You remember him, yes?""Yeah…his wife was a bitch." Max nodded, rubbing her jaw slightly. "Does this mean…have they caught him?" "No. But now that they've identified him they can hunt him down.""Right. Well I'm not gonna be scared by myself." She linked her arm through Fangs and started towards the living room. "Max, I've gotta go. I'm sorry- They got a big murder and the scene needs a lot of cleaning up." Nudge said with a grimace. She gave them all big hugs, took out her phone, and walked out talking rabidly. An hour later, Angel left. "Max, I'm going to cook dinner tonight, okay? Then I'll cook chocolate chip cookies!" Valencia said with a smile. Max grinned and nodded.

"Did I miss something??" Tally asked when Max squealed."Mom makes the _best_ chocolate chip cookies." Max said, sounding extremely happy. "I checked." She added."Yeah, she did." Fang chuckled. Valencia made dinner, and by the time it was done, Iggy had finished with work. Gazzy was visiting Angel at work, apparently. They all sat at the table and ate. "Anything interesting happen at work? Goth knows we've been in dire need of something interesting." Max said."Gazzy farted and blew a cart of nitroglycerin up." Iggy laughed."No one got hurt, right?""Right." They all sighed while laughing.

XXXXXXXX

Max sighed and lay on her right side, trying to relax. So Fang had figured out who was after them. What did it mean? That he had to go back to work? Or that they wouldn't be able to leave the house? "Max, what's the matter?" Ella came in the room, laying on the king sized bed opposite of Max.

"Nothing- why?" "Come on, Max, I'm twenty-one years old. I know when something is wrong." Max laughed a little, for some reason finding this funny.

"Right. We've just got a lot to worry about, that's all." "Well, if you ever need a baby sitter, I'm sure Iggy would love to.""Why?" Max asked with a raised eyebrow."All three of us were talking -Iggy, Tally, and me, that is- and he's more excited about your son than you and Fang are." Ella giggled."Aw, that's sweet. Changing the subject- do you have a boy friend yet?" Max asked slyly. Ella blushed.

"Well, sorta. He's a doctor that was in Med School with me." Ella smiled brightly. "Really?! What's his name?" Max asked, getting up a little.

"Joseph Dooley. Isn't that…cool? Dooley means dark haired hero…" She said, bouncing a little."Wonderful! If you don't mind, I think I'm going to sleep for now. Could you go get Fan- hey." She said as Fang walked in. Ella went to the bedroom she and her mother shared.

"Do you know that I love you?" He whispered as he crawled into the bed.

"I'm pretty sure I do. What about you? I love you.""Good to know."XXXXX November- 8th month. XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Everyone had begun to hang around the house, as Max was so pregnant that it looked like she was going to pop if she bent down too far. Every time she reached up too high, the baby would kick, making her recoil into herself. The problem was presenting itself now.

"Max, what are you reaching for?" Mom demanded, pulling down the box of _Lucky Charms_. "Well, you got the cereal down. What's wrong with you?" Max demanded, snatching a bowl from the cabinets.

"Every time a pregnant mother raises her hands above her head, the umbilical cord wraps around the babies neck!" Ella scolded, kneeling in front of Max. "We just can't _wait _to see you! You're going to be so cute! And aunty Ella is going to put you in all those cute clothes everyone got you at the baby shower." She said in a baby voice, rubbing Max's stomach.

"Ella, stop talking to my stomach. Can you read my shirt?""Sure. It says 'Rub my belly and be…destroyed'? Oh…" Ella got a sheepish expression on her face and walked away while Max made her morning cereal. By the time Fang had woken up an hour later, Max'd gone to the bathroom about twenty times.

"Max, do you want to go to the park today?" Ella was shaking her head frantically at Angel's suggestion, but it was too late.

"Would I like to go to the park? Would_ I_?" "Max doesn't feel like walking. Leave her alone." Fang sighed, coming in from his morning jog with Lucifer.

"Exactly." Max nodded, pulling her husband down on the couch with her."Anyone have plans for today?" Iggy shook his head. Nudge looked at the calendar- November twenty-fifth.

"We could see a movie." Gazzy suggested. Tally nodded.

"A double feature." She quipped from Iggy's lap. Mom laughed.

"I'll stay here- Hernando is coming into town. He finally gets a few weeks off like the rest of us." She smiled.

At the theatre, Max and Fang were arguing in low voices. Iggy caught half of it.

"…why don't _you_ carry a bowling ball around for nine months and tell me it's easy?" Fang sighed loudly."We aren't actually arguing about this, are we?""Yes, we are." Max said angrily."Whatever. I'm sorry. I just meant that we should sit near the middle, so that you don't have to go up and down stairs, just in case you trip. I don't want yous to get hurt." He said. Max's eyes filled.

"Really?" She whispered, tears falling."Really really." HE smiled, brushing her tears away with his thumb.

"Okay, I'm sorry Fang." She sighed, leaning her head into his chest. He rubbed her shoulders.

"Fine, it's fine. Let's get to our seats."The first movie was two hours long, and Max had to go to the rest room about twenty times- so in Fang's mind, at least- and it was getting worry some. On their way to the second movie, Max gasped, freezing and looking around. Everyone was tense and staring, even people who didn't know them. "Fang, we _forgot our doctors appointment."_ Max hissed, pulling her cell phone out. Everyone let out a breath and relaxed."We can go now, Max, it's okay." Fang grabbed her hand, pulling her towards the exit. He waved to everyone, sighing. They arrived at the clinic an hour later, but the nurses were just happy they'd arrived. Jenny led them to the back. "He's getting bigger." She exclaimed excitedly. She pulled out a clipboard and started writing things down. "Okay, your due date is in the second week of December.""Really?" Fang asked, eyes glued to the ultrasound monitor. "What is-" he stopped, finger tracing a small, white bump on the babies back. He turned around, eyes bright. "Oh my God." Max breathed. She started sitting up, but Fang pushed her gently back down. Jenny- who knew, naturally, about their wings- dropped her clipboard.

"Max- Fang…oh my Go-" she stopped herself. Fang looked at Max, both of their eyes wide, bright.

"He's going to have wings." They said in unison. They all three were grinning as Jenny printed the picture off.

"I have to call Mom!" Max exclaimed suddenly. Fang dialed, and spoke.

"Mom- he- the baby is- he…"

"_Fang, calm down. Is the baby alright?"_

"Yes! He's going to have _wings!_" Valencia dropped the phone.

"Hello? Mom?" Max asked into the phone.

"_Max! Oh my…this is…is…"_

"I know- calm down! This is AMAZING!!"

"_I'm going to…I have to…tell your step-father…"_

Max and Fang told everyone to come home, but did not tell them what was up. Iggy had begun to see white _and_ black, but only objects that had both of those. Max shoved the picture into his hands. "Look. What do you see?""The baby. Why? Wait- what's tha- oh. Oh my God!" Iggy dropped the paper, eyes wide. "Tally, look." They passed the picture around, getting the same reaction from everyone. Angel put her hand on Max's stomach. "He knows who you are Max. Just a tiny bit. He knows you mean safety. And he loves Fangs voice. When Fang talks to you, he likes it." She smiled. "Wow…" Fang whispered. "Ow!" Max exclaimed, looking at her stomach. "Hey, I didn't do it." They all laughed simultaneously.

"What now?" Nudge asked. They all looked at each other."Ice cream." Max announced, going to the freezer. Angel got herself and Max a bowl and spoon. "Who wants some?" Fang sighed, scooping the ice cream."ME!" Gazzy said, standing behind Fang. Nudge, Iggy, Tally, Angel, Ella, and Mom lined up. Max got hers first, grinning. "Let's play a game. " Angel suggested as they crowded into the living room. Max curled up by Fang, who put one hand on Max's stomach- so he would know if the baby kicked. "You guys can play- we'll watch." Fang said."I'll be right back- I've got to pick Hernando up from the air port." Mom kissed each of their cheeks and ran out the door."Truth Or Dare?" "No." Ella barked, face paling. Lucifer came in, sitting by Fang's feet.

"What else is there to do?" Gazzy demanded. "Calm down everyone." Max said soothingly. "Now lean your heads back." They obeyed. "Open your mouths, and close your eyes." She turned to Fang. "Quick! Get the pills!" She exclaimed. They burst out laughing.

"Okay, though, seriously, what are we going to do?" Gazzy and Iggy's faces suddenly lit up."We can take _bets._" Iggy said. Gazzy got up and left the room. When he returned, he was carrying paper and pens.

He wrote:Angel- Weight: Length: Hair: Eyes: Hour: Wings:

He did the same with everyone's names. "We take bets on how much he weighs, how long he is, what color eyes, hair wings, what hour he's born. Oh, and what day!" Gazzy explained excitedly. "I'm not taking bets." Max and Fang said in perfect unison. "I think he'll weigh 5 pounds, three ounces. Maybe twenty-one and a half inches long. His hair…dark brown. Eyes…blue, maybe. Wings….black. And maybe…around…midnight…And on the twelfth!" Angel said, writing it down in her bubbly handwriting. She passed the paper to Nudge. "Six pounds, exactly, twenty-two and a half inches long. Hair…black, eyes…brown….maybe eleven pm…wings….hm, the same as Max's. And the eight." She passed it to Ella."I agree with Angel on everything." She passed it to Iggy. Tally took the pen. "Brown hair and eyes, black wings. About seven pounds, twenty-three inches. Around one am on the tenth." He grinned. "It's all about genetics. Fang's black hair is pretty dominant, but we all know Max." She laughed at him. Tally gave the baby blue eyes and dirty blond hair, eight pounds, twenty two inches, brown/black wings, and around eight AM on the tenth. Gazzy put red hair, green eyes, blue wings, midnight, nine pounds, twenty three inches. "Gazzy, I'm not going to ask about that. Red hair? Blue wings?" "Everything and anything is possible." The seventeen year old grinned. "True, true. Okay, how much are yous betting?" "I say we each bet one fifty, and losers give their money to the baby when he's born." Max stared at Gazzy in surprise. Usually he was all for keeping the money. "He's got a girlfriend, now." Fang whispered. "Apparently she's changing him." They both laughed quietly.

"Okay, I'm in." Nudge slapped her hand on the coffee table. When she pulled her hand away, she left two one hundred dollar bills.

"Me, too." Iggy said, putting the same amount in. Tally dropped hers on his, Angel following in sync with Gazzy."I don't have enough.""Here Ella." Fang tossed the money in. "I'm older than Angel, and she's already getting paid more than me." Ella mock sobbed, actually laughing. Lucifer barked.

"Yeah, but you're completely normal and you've got a _great_ job." Angel smiled.

"Yeah, yeah.""Alright, someone go get a jar, and we'll put the bet money in there." Nobody moved. "Okay, don't all jump up at once." Max sighed, trying to get up.

"I'll go Max.""Okay, but I have to go to the bathroom." They laughed as Angel helped Max stand. Omega showed up an hour later, grinning. He was carrying two very large and heavy looking boxes. "Fang, Max, may I intrude?" "Sure, what's with the boxes?""I have to child proof your homes. Sharp edges, plugs, drawers, stairs, everything! All of these things can be dangerous!""…you've been watching the home decorating channel again." Fang sighed.

"Yes. Child proofing. Get out. Lucifer will help me." He slammed the door.

"…Oh-kay. Did we just get kicked out of our house?" Max asked. "Yup. We can go to my apartment. Omega just redid it! It looks so…professional. I asked him to because I was hosting a business meeting at my house and-""Nudge! Please. We get it!" Max whined. XXX

Nudges apartment had changed from bright, childlike, to neat and business like and organized. Black, leather couch. Ebony coffee table. The kitchen table had a coffee shop feel to it, as did the kitchen.

"Wow, Nudge." Angel squealed. Tally laughed. "Doesn't it look _great?_"

"Yeah! I wish they'd allow us to decorate our dorms." Angel was attending a private school in the city, where they stayed in their own dorms. She liked everything _but_ the dorms/"Oh you'll be fine. You only go three more years." Tally said, hugging her. "Okay guys, sit down. I'll be right back." Nudge disappeared. Max eased herself down on the couch. Nudge came back with some paper, pens, and a hat.

"Kay, grab a pen and some paper. Rip it up and write boy names on them. We'll put the names in the hate, and draw them one at a time. Just to see what we want to name him." "Oh, that's a good idea, Nudge." Max said, grabbing a pen and paper.

"Kay, Max, you draw the first one." Nudge handed the _Chicago Bears_ hat to Max. She put her hand in the hat. "Okay, this one says…Chase Ride." She read. "How ironic." She smiled, looking at Iggy.

"Thought so," he laughed. Max passed the hat to Fang. "Joey Ride. Joseph isn't that bad." He said, glancing at Tally.

"Thank you very much." She grinned. Fang passed it to Iggy. "It's José Ride." Tally read. Ella grinned sheepishly. Tally drew one. "Micky-blue Ride.""I'm sorry Nudge- but no." Max said. Nudge giggled. Angel took the hat. "This one says Edward C. Ride." They all rolled their eyes to Max. "I was jus' kidding." She grinned. Fang sighed loudly, ducking his head. Nudge eagerly took the hat."Ooh, this one says Iggy Ride." Everyone paused."Fang?" Iggy asked.

"You're my brother, dude. Why wouldn't I want to name him after you? Or Gazzy?" Fang added. Iggy nodded, 'looking' out the window. "Wow, that was the most AMAZING awkward silence ever." Angel giggled at Max's sarcasm. "Oh-kay, Nudge pass the hat to Gasman." "Mike- Michael- Ride."There were only about three names left when Omega called Fang's cell phone. He was coming over. "Guys, no offense, but…none of these names sound like…us, ya know?" Like, I'm not sure if we want a normal name, or a name that…is us, the flock.""Yeah, I think we should go with a flock name." Fang agreed. "Max, draw that one." Nudge sighed. She drew it and read it quietly to Fang, so no on e could hear. "I like that one. But…whose hand writing is it?" Max asked.

"S'not Nudge, Gazzy or Iggy's." Fang answered."Not Angel's or Tally's, or Ella's.""Who wrote it?""I did." Omega said from behind them, grinning.

"Don't tell anyone, it's going to be a surprise." Max said.

"Yes, Maximum." Omega smiled. "Now come see your home. Nothing too drastic. Just for when he starts walking and crawling." "Oh-kay. Nudge, can we eat dinner here tonight?" Max asked."SURE! I'll start cooking. Be quick!""Let's just order pizza." Max replied, looking tired.

XXXXX DECEMBER 10TH. - NINETH MONTH XXXXX XXXX XXXXXX

"Mom, my stomach hurts." Everyone had been on pins and needles since the eight of December. "Honey, you've been through eight months of pregnancy. You know why your stomach hurts." Mom sighed."It's hot. Can you turn the air on, Fang?" Max called."Turning the air on." He didn't even look anymore at the actual temperature- he just pushed the forty degrees Fahrenheit button. Gazzy and Iggy were on the roof, building something for the dog. Valencia and Hernando were on the couch, watching TV while Max read. Angel and Nudge were packing bags for when Max went into labor. Fang tried to keep himself busy. Tally was shopping. Omega was at work. Ella was panicking. "Mom…" Max stopped herself and went back to her book.

11:45 pm

"Mom- I'm hungry. I think." Max panted. Valencia felt her forehead. "You've got a fever." Ella rushed in."Tell me your symptoms." She commanded. "Ella, I think I'm just hungry." Max sighed. "My stomach hurts a lot. My back is killing me, it's too hot, you know…things." "Max…just don't move around too much." Ella said, chewing her bottom lip."Like I've been doing so much of that." Max grumbled. Fang took Ella's arm and pulled her aside."What's wrong with her?""We'll have to be watching her. If the pain isn't making her yell, then she's okay, but I'll bet she goes into labor tomorrow." Fang just stared.

"Oh," he finally said, looking a little shaky. Ella nodded curtly and walked away. Fang stood still for a moment, then shook it off, going to Max. She didn't look any different, smiling and talking to everyone, still beautiful. Angel quickly started putting things- blankets, pillows, etc- out for everyone who didn't have a room. Nudge collapsed on the recliner, Ella on the couch; Hernando and Mom went to their assigned room, Gazzy his and Angel's, Tally and Iggy theirs, Fang and Max to theirs. "Max, you okay?" Fang asked quietly as he turned the light off."Yeah, why?" "Just worried because you said your stomach was hurting." He sighed. Max kissed him gently before falling DECEMBER 11TH 10:00 PM XXXXX

"Okay, guys, this is really starting to hurt." Max panted, attempting to walk out of her room. Fang gently took her arm and steered her in the other direction."Alright, Max, come on, I'm taking you to the doctor." He said, gesturing to Angel and Nudge.

"You sure?" Nudge asked.

"Yes, he is." Angel whispered, already holding two bags. Iggy and Gazzy grabbed the other two."We'll take two cars- just in case." Max looked completely confused. Then realization hit her."Oh goth." She gasped, told her that yes, she was in fact about to go into labor. Max was panicking, because her contractions weren't hurting as bad as they should have been."You should fully go into labor tomorrow at around eight pm, but it'd be easier to keep you over night." "Right." Fang said, easing Max down on her bed.

"Who will be my doctor?""Oh, Doctor Hill. You know him, he's very nice- and Doctor Burks. She's also very sweet." Max nodded.

"Alright. Now someone go get me some White Castles." Max demanded. Mom ducked out of the room with Hernando.

"Oh!! Max, Max, Max!" Angel grinned. "You've got to pick the God Parents!" Max's face paled.

"Fang, help." "Iggy, Gazzy, Nudge, Ella, Tally, and Angel." "All?? Isn't there a limit or something?""No- but…Angel and Nudge, Gazzy and Iggy." Fang sighed, looking away from Ella and Tally guiltily. "Okay, so…Iggy and Gazzy will be the godfathers- giggle- and Angel and Nudge will be the godmothers." Max announced. "Sorry, Tally, Ella, but…the flock…the original flock…"

"It's alright, Max. We understand." Ella said, Tally nodding with her."Thanks guys." Doctor Hill came in, just as Max gasped in surprise, grabbing her stomach.

"Well, that's a lot more painful than I thought it'd be." She gasped.

"Okay, Mrs. Ride, I think you're officially going into labor. I'm Dr. Hill, and I'll be here to get whatever you need. I'm going to get everything ready. Will you be using medication?""I don't need it." Max said, chin out as she grinded her teeth together. Her mother had just walked in, smirking. "You say that now, but you'll want it later.""Mom, I can handle it."One hour later…

"Fang, I'm going to kill you." Max yelled, grinding her teeth.

"Max, honey, just take the medication." Mom said.

"FINE! Only because you want- OW!" They quickly stuck her arm with a needle, connected to a medication bag. Angel was sitting on the ground, listening to everyone's thoughts, trying to block Max's pain out. Fang was holding Max's hand, wincing as she popped his knuckles. Tally and Iggy were on her right, speaking soothingly to her. "Fang, I swear to goth, you come near me with that thing again, I will rip it off." He smiled at his wife. Nudge was recording everyone and thing. Gazzy was in the hall way with his girl friend, Rose.

12:00 Midnight- December Twelfth. "Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Ride, it's a boy." Dr. Hill said, cleaning the baby up. Max leaned back, panting and sweating. The doctor wrapped the baby boy expertly in a blue blanket, handing the crying infant to Max. Tally sat the bed up so that she could relax and hold him.

"Hello, pretty boy…hello…" She cooed. The babies cries simmered down to small whimpers at her voice. She gently cupped his face. "Fang…look at him…""I see him….he's gorgeous…" Fang said, stroking the babies cheek. What little hair he had was blond. Max carefully turned him over a little and pulled the blanket down, revealing tiny, little wings with downy feathers. They were black with golden lining. "Time and date of birth!" A nurse called, writing on something.

"December twelfth, twelve AM." Dr. Burks answered. The nurse handed Max a pen and a birth certificate, putting a band on the babies wrist, Ride written across it. Max signed her name on the birth certificate, then let Fang sign it."Write his name, Fang." She whispered, nuzzling the babies cheek. Fang quickly wrote _Freedom Ride_ in the blank. Nudge carefully held the camera over the baby, zooming in. "Oh, Max, could I hold him?" Mom asked.

"…How about after Fang?" She replied gently. Mom nodded. Fang got a panicked look on his face as Max handed him the took a turn holding Freedom, who Max had been calling "Free".

"I'm sorry, Max, but we have to…put him…""Can't you put the bed for him in here?" Max begged, holding Free closer to her. The nurse paused, considering it."Sure. Just this once, because he is your first…" They wheeled a plastic crib like bed in, and put it next to Max's bed. "Gazzy, Rose, Angel, Hernando, we should go rent a room in that hotel across the street. Anyone who gets too tired is welcome to come over. Bye honey, love you." Mom kissed Max's forehead, then Free's. She hugged Nudge, Tally, and Iggy, then kissed Fang's cheek. The youngest and oldest of the large group left. Iggy asked a nurse if they could have another bed. The nurses- happy to have company over night- brought a recliner, another hospital bed, and some thick mats for everyone to sleep on. Nudge got the recliner, Tally the bed. Fang sat in a comfy chair beside Max and Free while Iggy was on the mats. "Hey, buddy." Fang said quietly, stroking the babies smooth cheek. He opened his hand, grabbing Fang's fingers. "You look like your mommy." Free opened his eyes, looking at Fang. He gasped. The baby had eyes exactly like his, black, dark, alight with…something to intelligent for a newborn."He's got your eyes…" Max whispered. Fang looked at her; she was still sleeping. Weird. He stroked the now sleeping babies cheek again. Suddenly, Iggy gasped as if in pain, grasping his face. Fang jumped over to him, shaking his shoulder and asking quietly if he was alright. Blood was coming from between his fingers that were covering his eyes. Tally put his head in her lap. Luckily, Iggy managed to stay quiet enough for Max and Free to stay sleeping, though he must have been in a lot of pain.

"What's wrong with him?" Nudge gasped.

"I don't know," Fang whispered. Finally Iggy relaxed, entire body shuddering to a stop. Then he sat up, opening his blood crusted eyes. "Iggy? Can you hear me?""Yeah- and I can see you." He replied, panting as he stood up shakily. He walked to the babies crib. He touched the babies face. "He looks like Max, only with your eyes, and it _looks_ like your cheek bones." Iggy smiled. The blood on his face disappeared. Free giggled, making everyone in the room relax. The sound was heart warming. Fang went by Iggy."What happened?"

"I don't know- but I can _see_." The baby gurgled, grabbing Iggy's fingers. Angel was suddenly at Fang's elbow.

"Free did it." She whispered. Iggy turned to her. His eyes widened when he saw her."Angel?! WOW! You're…you're so grown up!" He exclaimed, hugging her. She giggled.

"That's what happens!" Nudge said, coming from behind Iggy.

"Nudge!" Iggy said, looking at her. "Well, you…you're not three any more." He hugged her, hard.

"Yeah, I know." Iggy looked at Fang, grinning. "We know- he still looks the same.""Not really- the last time I saw him, his bangs were spiked, his wings had downy feathers in them, and he had no front teeth.""Fang had no teeth?" Angel asked, eyes wide. Fang's face darkened.

"You remember that?" He asked. Iggy nodded eagerly.

"It was my most "recent" memory of you.""Tell me what happened! I bet he got into a fight with a whitecoat or something!" Fang blushed more."Actually, he was walking around for a little bit of free time, and he tripped, knocking his baby teeth out." Angel and Nudge laughed, joined by Max, who'd obviously just woken up.

"I remember that!" She exclaimed, attempting to sit up. Already, she was going back to normal size.

"_**Max**_. You look so…different! So…well, you're definitely Maximum Ride." Iggy seemed at a loss for words. Max looked surprised.

"What are you talking about Iggy?""Freedom healed his eyes." Angel said quietly; the baby gurgled again. "Fang, gimme him." Max said quietly. She pulled the IV roughly from her arm. Fang, glaring, brought Free to Max. The newborn nestled against her arm, falling asleep instantly. Blood slid slowly from the tiny hole in her arm, then stopped before it dripped off, seeping into her skin."He can heal. He's so amazing…My baby…" Fang whispered, staring. When he stopped talking, Free started whimpering, tears starting to slip down his cheeks.

"Aw, Fang, keep talking." Nudge said.

"That's not why he's crying." But as soon as he started talking again, the whimpering stopped. "Yes, it is. He likes hearing us all talk." Angel whispered. Then her head snapped towards Tally, who'd been standing in the darkest corner of the room. "Come on, Tally. You know he wouldn't think that." Iggy looked over at her, then walked to her. He ducked his head, trying to meet her eyes. Everyone refocused on Free. Nudge let him squeeze her fingers.

"Oh, I can't wait until you can talk and walk and play!!" She squealed. "SH!" Everyone hissed. She giggled, pulling a cell phone out of her pocket and dangling it around the now wide awake newborns head. Free giggled, waving his fingers. The phone slipped from Nudge's fingers, making everyone gasp in wounded shock. But the phone didn't fall. Instead, it started floating in a circle around Free and Max. Angel smiled; Nudge grabbed the phone. Fang stared. Max snuggled the baby closer; Iggy and Tally sighed with relief.

3 days later

Max, I think he's hungry." Max rolled over, sighing and taking the baby from Fang.

"Oh the joys of _feeding time._" She grumbled. The clock said 3:30 AM. "We can give him the formula they gave us at the hospital." Fang suggested meekly."No, it's fine." Max sighed; she got up and started walking around, pacing. Fang looked at her helplessly.

"What can I do to help?"

"You can go get his blanket, and when he's done you even get to burp him." He nodded, smiling. "Oh, today when you were napping some lady by the name of Sandra called…?""Oh! Denesa!" Fang raised an eye brow. **(Sorry everyone, I can't do a tilde on my comp, so it's pronounced D in yesa. Tilde or an enye.) **

"Who?""This woman who was at the clinic when I got my test. We've spoken a few times. Remind me to call her?'"Of course." Fang said, smiling and kissing her lightly with the baby between them. Fang was dead asleep when Free was finished. Max sighed and burped him, then carried him to his decorated room. The first year picture frame had only one picture in it- a picture of the day he was born. In his Mommy's arms. The baby cooed, looking at her with his fathers eyes. "Hello, Free, hello baby." She whispered, rocking him. He whimpered a little. "No, you have to sleep." She lay him gently on his stomach, then rubbed his back and stroked his wings. They fluttered a little. Max jumped when she felt someone massaging _her_ wings. "He's adorable." Fang whispered.

"He's ours. We have a hot little boy." Max giggled. Fang chuckled and kissed her neck.

"Yeah…I can't wait to teach him to fly.""What about school?" Max asked quietly, looking panicked.

"Max, he's three days old. Let's focus on Christmas, first." He assured, squeezing her. He was surprised to find himself frantic at the feel of her flat stomach, but hearing Free's even breathing calmed him.

"We always say things like that. What's the nearest school?" "Lyle Elementary." Fang sighed. Max stiffened a little and turned around to face him.

"You already checked." She accused.

"Better safe than sorry.""…What about when he gets a girlfriend?""Ma-ax!" Fang whined.

"I'm sorry, sorry." She whispered. They leaned against each other, watching their child. And then the phone rang. Max jumped and ran to get it while Fang calmed the now wailing Free. "Hello?" She asked breathlessly.

"_Max? Why didn't you call me?!" _Pierre's voice asked over the phone.

"Pierre…it's four AM." _"__You didn't call me!__" _"I'm sorry. It's been-"_"__When__?" _

"December twelfth."

"_Okay, I've no time for apologies- I have a party to plan. His name?" _

"Freedom Ride."

"_Oh, that's beautiful, Max. The party is going to be on Christmas. Who are the God parents?"_

"Nudge, Angel, Iggy, and Gazzy." Se said quietly.

"_Indecisive, as per usual. Okay, so the party is going to be at eight."_

"Pierre, he's a newborn." Max protested, hearing Fang shush the baby back to sleep.

"_Well, it can't start too early, either! Seven Pm, at the least!"_

"Okay, okay." She sighed.

"_Good, you three are the guests of honor, so don't be late. I'll email you the dress code and activities."_

"Alright. Look, why don't you come over tomorrow-""_Saturday."_"Saturday, and we'll talk about this? Free is awake again."_"Alright, we're going to lunch Saturday. It's a date."_"Free and Fang are coming.""_I'm buying the baby something already_." Max laughed as her ex-boss hung up. Of course, he wouldn't hesitate to spend ten thousand on the baby.

"Who was it?" "Pierre." Max answered, not even jumping. She turned around and took the baby from Fang. "He's throwing a party for Free. On Christmas." Fang paused, no knowing how to bring up the subject, but it was important.

"Max, we…we were going to spend time with the flock on Christmas." He stuck with that, instead of what was really bothering him.

"Well, we still can. We don't have to spend all night at the party. Just go, say hi to some people, and leave." Fang shrugged, though still bothered by it. "Look, we can tell him to reschedule if you don't want to go then."

"No, it's okay. I'm just…nothing.""Fang, we're _married._ Tell me what's wrong." Fang shook his head, wrapping Max in a hug with Free between them.

"Nothing. We've got all day Christmas."

**7:00 AM 11 days later. Christmas Morning**

**Free- Two Weeks old**

"He knows it's Christmas." Max sighed brightly, sweeping the baby into her room where Fang lay sleeping. She put Free on his stomach, causing him to jerk awake.

"Morning, Little Man. Morning, Beautiful." He looked at Max.

"We're here!" "Can I hold him?!" Omega's voice boomed over everyone else's. Max blushed when he came in. She was wearing a silky black robe, silky red shorts, and a silky red tank top. Everyone followed him.

"I'm just glad I can fit into my own clothes again," she smirked. Everyone laughed.

"Max, your tree is gorgeous, as per usual. We put a few things under it." Pierre said. "Thank you. Should I get breakfast going?""Nope, I've got that." Iggy said from the kitchen.

"Your Mom and Hernando said they'd be here tonight." Pierre said. Max nodded, handing Free to Omega gently.

"Watch his head." Max warned. Fang was standing, watching carefully.

"I won't drop him." Omega said.

"Hurry up, I want to hold him." Everyone took turns holding him, then they ate breakfast together. Max fed Free, while everyone gathered in the living room. Twenty minutes went by, and Max found herself playing with Free as she walked down the hallway.

"Hurry up, Max! We want Free to see his presents." Angel commanded. Nudge started whining, and Gazzy and Rose cheered for the baby. Max rolled her eyes as Fang met her and took the infant.

"Here. Open mine first, I've got to go soon." Pierre said, tossing three boxes to Max. He got Max a silky black dress, and matching jewelry. She hugged him, thanking him profusely. He waved her off. "Oh, it was nothing. Really." And then the tag fell out of the box. He grabbed it before anyone could see."He spent twenty _thousand_ dollars on yous all together!" Angel quipped. Fang gaped; Pierre shrugged.

"No big deal, really. I will not have my Max and my Fang wearing knock offs." He sniffed. Max knew he considered them his family, considering his family had basically disowned him. She just hugged him again."Fang, open yours!" He got an expensive suit, shoes, watch, and a pure gold chain.

"Thanks, man." He said, man-hugging him with Free still in his arms. "Now, for Free, Max, why don't you do the honors?" Max smiled and unwrapped the box. A bracelet, necklace, and ring with his birthstones and his name on each. Also a cute and acceptable out fit that would show his wings at the party.

"Wait, Pierre, what's-" Max stopped, moving the sweater. A black velvet case, holding a silver rattle, _Freedom Ride_ engraved in it. Beside it were tiny baby spoons and forks, made of pure silver, with his name on them. Max's eyes filled with tears. "Oh," she whispered.

"He's going to need them. Now, I have to go." Pierre said, but Fang dragged him to the kitchen, giving him his gift of a bunch of exotic, imported champagnes. They knew his love for new things, and for wine/ champagne.

Angel got a car that everyone put their names on. She reminded everyone that she wasn't allowed to drive alone yet. And she got Free a few pacifiers, explaining that she really didn't know what to get him- besides the forty stuffed animals she'd already supplied him with.

"Thank you. Remember, you're not allowed to drive after nine." Max teased, referring to her religious abidance of the law.

"Shut-up, Max. I work with _cops_." Angel sniffed.

"We're just teasing." Fang laughed, cradling Free in his lap.

"And to think, I got you tickets to-" She caught herself, but now everyone was staring. Rose smiled.

"Um, Max, would you mind if I used your bathroom?" She asked quietly.

"Go ahead. I tell you every time- you don't have to ask." The girl with black hair smiled and got up.

"By the way- who won the bet?""No one!" Gazzy replied, jumping up. "That's twelve hundred dollars to Free." Everyone smiled at Rose as she came out while Gazzy put the jar in Free's room.

Nudge got a lot of clothes, shoes, and jewelry from everyone. She got Max and Fang both new iPods, and baby clothes for Free.

"They're cute!" Max giggled, hugging Nudge. Fang sat Free up on his lap, though clearly the baby wasn't old enough to sit up on his own yet.

Gazzy got just about everything that was explosive, and the packages were in Portuguese, German, and Japanese.

"This is really cool!" He gasped, looking like a young child again. He smiled at Max, giving her that irresistibly charming look, that was most likely why so many girls always came on to him, and asked him out.

"Alright, alright. On the roof, and after everyone is done." She sighed. Then he gave her the big smirk, and she saw Rose staring at him with admiration in her dark sapphire blue eyes. Big smirk. The big smirk that people loved. He always got in trouble sometime after giving that smirk.

Max shook her head, wondering why she'd started thinking like that. Usually she didn't think about stuff like that. But maybe it was because her son may have qualities like that when he was seventeen. Or he might be nothing like that…

6:30 PM

"Max, your hair looks great. Come on." Fang sighed. "If we're going to fly, it's not going to take very long.""I know, that's why this shouldn't be a problem." "But we shouldn't get there until seven, still." Fang sighed, shifting Free to his right arm. Lucifer put his front paws on Fang's chest, which made him laugh.

They didn't have a problem with Lucifer being near the baby. He was always gentle. They planned on taking the dog tonight. Fang put free in his car seat and put a spiked collar on the dog. Dang.

"Max, if we're taking Lucifer-""Iggy's driving with him." Max replied, coming out. She was wearing the onyx necklace and bracelet Pierre got her. Fang sighed and looked at her. Beautiful. And all that time spent on braiding a few strands of hair on each side of her head, back in a crown around to the back of her hair, where it was gently curling.

"Ready?" He asked, turning his back to her.

"Yup." She said, bending to pick Free up and to pet Lucifer. That's when he saw the slit in the dress all the way up to her thigh.

"You're flashing me," he grinned, hand on her waist. She glanced back, not straightening yet.

"You're welcome." She said, laughing a little. He laughed, too, and handed her a rose, within the petals sitting a ring with a ruby sitting in the middle.

"Oh, Fang…you didn't have to give me anything." She gasped. He gave her a look.

"But you knew I would." He said, kissing her.

"I guess I did, but you shouldn't feel like you have to get me anything." She whispered against his lips. "The rose is gorgeous, too.""Don't do that." He whispered in a whiny voice as she walked away.

"Just a sec. I figured I would do this later, but it's just the same right now." She called, holding Free close. Fang shook his head.

'_Why does she do this? I'm supposed to spoil her…'_ he thought with a sigh. Maybe it was nothing big.

"Okay, it's nothing big, and I'm not even sure if you'll like it. I just, well it's the only one I could find, and I know how you are with things and their 'sentimental value'." She appeared, smiling. Fang just smiled back; she handed him a thin "fragile" box and waited. He carefully opened it, then unwrapped the bubble wrap. It was a big picture frame, with a big picture in it.

A very, very old picture. The flock. Max, Fang, and Iggy had all roughly turned sixteen. Max had scratches on her face. Iggy had a busted lip and some dirt on his face. Fang had a black eye. Nudge was tickling Angel at their feet. Gazzy was laughing, Ella was thrusting cake in his face. Jeb was holding the cake, and Mom was hugging Max. They were all smiling and laughing. A neighbor had taken the picture.

"Max…" Fang sighed, but managed to choke back his surprised words. He just stroked the picture of her sixteen year old face.

"I figured that when Free's about five, we can take another picture with the whole family." She took a deep breath and smiled. "Put it next to that one." She shrugged, looking away, towards Free.

Fang couldn't believe that she thought he wouldn't like it. He tried to gather his scattered thoughts to remind her that the flock was of higher value to him than material objects- second only to her and Free.

"That's a great idea.""Oh- jeeze! We're gonna be late! Come on, if we're late, Pierre will _kill us." Pierre's mansion had been turned into a winter wonderland. Being in New York, everything was dusted with snow. He greeted them at the door._

"_I'm so glad I told everyone to come at seven thirty." He sighed, rushing them in. Nudge, Angel, Gazzy, and Rose were already there, and Iggy and Tally were on their way. "Max, Sandra is here to see you with Denesa." Pierre smiled, opening one of a million unnoticed doors. "Long time, no see! Is that him?!" Sandra asked, tugging a now four year old, smart aleck Denesa with her._

"_Yup- his name is Free." Max smiled proudly, allowing Sandra to hold the two week old. "He's adorable." She cooed, stroking his cheek. She and Max had been close friends for all nine months- she knew about the wings. "He's got Fang's eyes." She added, glancing at him. His face darkened with a blush._

"_I don't-""He does." Nudge insisted, just as Iggy and Tally walked in with Lucifer. The dog growled and loped over to Max and Fang's sides, watching Sandra hold the baby. He growled a little louder._

"_Don't get smart with me, young man. I won't drop him." She snapped, petting the dogs ears. Free started sniffling, and they all knew he wanted his mom._

"_Come here, Free. You're okay- don't be rude." Max laughed at her senseless baby a lot more people started arriving, and the music turned on. Soft, dancing music. Pierre assured everyone it was so the babies wouldn't get upset by loud music._

"_Let me see him." Angel commanded of Fang, taking the baby so that the two could dance. Gazzy and Rose were dancing, and Tally and Iggy were, too. Fang grabbed Max's waist gently, and pulled her close._

"_You know how long it's been since we danced so close?" She breathed right on his cheek. He shivered and dipped her slowly back, eyes never leaving her face._

"_Yes, I do. And I missed it." He replied, lips brushing her ear. She smiled._

"_We're going to have to go back to work next month." She sighed with a sudden frown._

"_I know- he'll be fine." Fang insisted._

"_But who will watch him?" Their little dance was now tense, but they didn't miss a step. _

"_We'll get someone." He whispered. "I think Adam may know a few people." "Great. People from a spy camp, watching my baby." She said in disgust."Not exactly." _


End file.
